Lanipator Plays Amnesia
by RockinAnime
Summary: As Daniel moves through the castle of Brennenburg in search of Alexander he hears a rather annoying voice in his head. Image drawn by Hasana-chan from deviantART
1. Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Daniel felt tremendous pain in his body after drinking the elixir, but continued to press on to a better place for his plans, reminding himself of his basic information as it tried to escape and leave him.

_Don't forget…something must not be forgotten. The shadow…hunting me. I must hurry. My name is Daniel, I live in London at…at…Mayfair…. What have I done? This is crazy. Don't forget. I must stop him. Focus!_

Daniel heard a strange voice in the back of his mind, different from his own.

"**Focus Daniel, Focus!**"

It must be due to the drink, surely. This voice caused the information to try and escape once more though.

_My name is…is…I am Daniel._

And with these last words Daniel fell unconscious to the floor.

"…**Hello? …M'kay.**"

Daniel awoke an unknown amount of time later; shaking his head and watching rose petals fall from above as well as water from a hole in the ceiling, he noticed that the strange voice seemed to comment on the situation as he tried desperately to get to his feet.

"**Oh! Another hard Friday night…. Mission one, thatch that roof.**"

Finally Daniel was standing; he looked to the ground and saw rose petals scattered about and an unknown pink liquid staining the rug. The liquid seemed to form a trail and it seemed that if he were to follow it he may find someone to tell him where he was and what had happened. The strange voice was going on about mementos and restated the plan Daniel had just thought up in simpler words; this voice unnerved Daniel greatly for how normal it seemed. Perhaps whoever was at the end of the liquid trail could explain this; maybe they were the owner of the voice that seemed to haunt his mind.

"**It looks like somebody stabbed a clown-**"

The voice seemed more threatening now. Rather than immediately follow the trail Daniel opted to explore his current surroundings, a blocked hall and a door to his left.

"-**but I've never been one for following rules.**"

Daniel left the blocked path and entered the small room. There was a chair and table with a single candle sitting on top of the desk with two drapes against the wall. How curious. He tested the door after hearing its first squeak by swinging it closed and then open.

"**WHOOSH. That's pretty cool.**"

Daniel walked into the room and collected a cylinder he knew to be a tinderbox.

_That seems a rather odd memory to keep._

"**All right. We're on our way to startin' this thing.**"

The voice had such…rough English. He turned and left to follow the trail as he had planned, but only a few steps out of the room he felt compelled to pick up a potted plant.

"**So apparently I can pick things up.**"

Daniel walked onwards with his new plant but saw no purpose for it, it would be best to dispose of it.

"**To throw, click.**"

Daniel threw the plant above a doorway and into the wall above, shattering the pot and allowing the plant to stumble and stand in front of him, the dirt solid and intact. He was not sure why he felt it necessary to do this, it seemed very rude to break things that were not his, as far as he knew anyway, but it did seem to make him feel better.

"**Ah snap!**"

Daniel had been watching the plant at his feet during these thoughts when suddenly, it vanished. He had to do a double-take; had that really happened?

"**Whoa! It just kind of dematerialized.**"

Daniel ignored the strange voice and sight because he must have been seeing things, and hearing things it seems. He turned to his right and pressed on down the hall. Only a few steps from his previous spot Daniel's vision was failing him, as well as his legs. He was swaying in place and nearly falling over.

"**Ok! I am…drunk apparently.**"

To be drunk at this time of day seemed very ill fitting, but that was besides the point. Daniel regained himself and forced himself to stand tall once more and regain his senses.

"**And then I glided. M'kay…door.**"

Daniel reached to open a large door as the voice named it but he was stopped by a frightening sound and feeling. It was as if the door was possessed and did not want him leaving. Daniel backed away from the door in horror.

"**Doors…freak me out apparently, all right.**"

Doors did not scare Daniel, but that particular one did. It was then that he realized the voice was speaking as if it were him. The voice was his own, but yet it was not his voice or his thoughts. Some of its words were similar to his thoughts but they were certainly not his.

Daniel moved into an open hallway and a door was suddenly blown open. This was not frightening as much as it was surprising, but after the shock started to wear off Daniel thought it must be frightening because….where was the wind from? It seemed to powerful and dust filled to simply be from a window; his breathing became heavy at his thoughts and he looked around in a panic.

"**So do hallways and…wind.**"

_It was an unnatural wind! Why can this voice not understand that?_

Daniel went to the recently opened door and looked inside to find no window for the wind to enter from; this unnerved him even more. All he saw was more drapes, another table, some candles, chairs, and a fireplace. Against his better judgment he entered the room.

"**Although where that wind came from I haven't a clue.**"

_Thank you. At least it somewhat registers with this voice now._

Daniel collected another tinderbox from the table and picked up an empty bottle to inspect it.

"**But more tinder! And more bottles.**"

Like before, Daniel felt the need to throw the bottle against the wall, shattering it, if only to watch it disappear like the pot.

"**Ah! I am an excellent house guest.**"

_Hardly…._

Daniel felt that he couldn't stand to see something else vanish and left before he could, finding his vision to be acting strange once more.

"**Oh man, I really gotta get a handle on this whole drinking thing…ok uh…**"

Daniel opened a cupboard and found a hung shirt and yet another tinderbox to collect.

"**Man, I am just…something tells me these things are going to be important.**"

It was unlikely, but possible. Daniel looked to his right to find a case with a glass cover to she a piece of paper.

"**Oo paper, let's see…uh…it's made of glass, can I smash it with something?**"

Daniel looked inside another cupboard and saw a broom. This could fulfill the voice's odd desires easily, as well as more tinder.

"**More tinder. All right, I'm going to smash it with a broom.**"

As if taking orders from the voice, Daniel found himself taking the broom to do just this; he readied it to smash and did just that, succeeding after a few hits.

"**Oh yeah!**"

Daniel threw the broom away and simply stared at the paper.

"**Can't take the paper, oh well. That was a uh…waste of broom. Is this room slanted or am I still drunk?**"

Indeed the room seemed slanted in Daniel's eyes, which luckily he could still see the broom with, so he and the voice had the same idea once more: tilt himself to even it out.

"**See if I can balance this...no, nope, just tilted the other way. Ok.**"

Daniel gave up and opened the other door to show stairs.

"**God it's like a funhouse.**"

Daniel began climbing upwards still trying to calm himself and his vision.

"**Man I am hammered.**"

A curious choice of words. Upon reaching the top of the stairs there were even more strange sounds; alarming sounds. The hall seemed to grow smaller as he walked.

"**And I'm claustrophobic. Apparently.**"

_You are not me voice! Now stop referring to yourself as such!_

"**It's really cool, it's like…it's like Evil Dead.**"

Daniel had no idea what he was speaking of, nor did he want to.

"**It's like they've got the evil dead sound design going on here.**"

Daniel had been in a hyperventilating panic from all of this and heard screams as he nearly fainted, watching the room warp around him.

"**Oh god, I'm having a panic attack now.**"

Eventually he was calm and the sounds and sights ceased , allowing him to go on with his mission.

"**Well that passed relatively well. Gonna keep moving.**"

Soon Daniel was in a hallway similar to before, and like earlier a door opened on its own, though much slower now.

"**Oo, something wants me to go in there.**"

_While I most certainly do not want to see anything it wants me too._

Daniel entered the other door to avoid it. The room was rather dark, which was less than comforting.

"**But I'm gonna go in here first because you know what? I'm hardcore, and I get more tinder.**"

Daniel collected another tinderbox from a shelf and left.

"**And my eyesight is like looking through a fish-eye lens. I gotta get something to fix that…**"

Another odd thought which Daniel tried to ignore as he worked to open a cupboard that had been knocked over. The first door was easy, but the second…

"**Come on, lift. Liiiiift-! Yeah, there we go.**"

Daniel saw nothing inside.

"**Worse comes to worse I can make that a makeshift boat.**"

_I really don't want to know the circumstances under which that would be necessary._

Daniel jumped in and out of the cupboard to then explore the door that had creaked open for him, even though he more than wanted to ignore it. He cautiously looked inside to see a lovely and harmless room, so he felt little fear when entering. Once inside the wind came from nowhere once more and took out every light in a dusty tornado of sorts. Daniel's flesh seemed to crawl and his panic was worse than ever.

"**Creepy wind…Beware the darkness, your sanity will slowly drain, turn on the lights in your environment using tinderboxes.**"

Daniel quickly lighted some candles and slowly calmed.

"**Like that! Aha! Take that insanity. I have defeated madness, with tinder!**"

Daniel left the room in fear it would repeat its wind trick and explored another cupboard.

"**Door…door…aw, no more tinder.**"

Was that honestly the voices concern? Granted it had proved useful just then but was it not aware of the situation? Daniel looked at the drapes on the wall covering a few paintings.

"**Can I pull these apart? Can I see what's behind these?**"

Daniel refused.

"**Aw, but it looks so fancy…here's a chair…wait, wait!**"

Daniel picked up the chair and threw it to the hanging lights with no idea as to why.

"**Ahh-kay. Let's keep moving here.**"

Daniel went down the stairs now, frightened by the growing darkness and dust in the air. So far, dust had proven to show enemies. Quickly he entered the door to the old archives, though he had no clue as to where it was.

"**The door slammed shut behind him and he knew he would never again see the old tailor at Berkley Square. Another lone soul in London seemed appropriate somehow.**"

The strange voice seemed harmless at first, but now it gave him chills. That time, the voice had definitely sounded wicked, to say the least.

"**I know I read that wrong but whatever.**"

_Read? Oh, he was reading….but…reading what?_

Daniel walked down the new hall, also containing wind but this time it thankfully blew none of the lights out.

"**Continuing down the windy path.**"

Just then a strong wind blew open a third door and blew out paper from inside as well as all the lights around him. Daniel's sanity suffered as a result of this.

"**Oh no, my insanity will over so grow…**"

Why was this voice so cruel and sarcastic to him? Honestly, he had to search the room that harbored that devil wind and the voice was mocking him!

"**What've we got? Hey, this room's light!**"

_Lit, you imbecile, this room is lit, not light._

"**See, stand in the light.**"

As Daniel did so a hoard of hissing roaches appeared on the ground from nowhere. They were disgusting and creepy creatures.

"**Cockroaches freak me out. This guy just has phobias.**"

_They are disgusting thank you very much!_

Daniel did his best to ignore the roaches, and the voice, and collected two more tinderboxes. As he continued exploring this room the voice gave him a startling thought:

"**I wonder, can my insanity kill me? That's my only regret right now, if I'm actually losing sanity by standing in this…you know, this place is lit. They have no excuse if I'm going insane.**"

_They?_

Daniel left the room and lit the hallway torch before continuing on.

"**Fine I'll light these torches…. Come on man, you're not that in the dark, I mean, I can see just fine.**"

True, it wasn't so bad. Once inside another room though it did become far worse. Another tornado like wind surrounded him, luckily too weak to lift him.

"**You're in the light.**"

_How does that help?_

"**Tornadoes can't hurt you when you're in the light.**"

_You must be joking._

The wind died and Daniel continued to enter the room further.

"**Or maybe they can, I don't know.**"

_How could you not know that?_

"**A book! That's gotta be important.**"

Daniel lifted the book and found it plain and useless so per usual he tossed it aside.

"**Take that! Oo a lantern, that's far more important than a book. I have a lantern, it can be filled with oil pressing F.**"

_F?_

"**Ok, I have a lantern now.**"

Daniel raised and lit his lantern.

"**Ah!**"

He put it out and away seeing as the room was lit.

"**Not gonna waste that 'cause that seems like it's important.**"

The next room was shrouded in darkness, making Daniel take out his lantern once more.

"**But this looks like it will drain my sanity so ha ha!**"

That voice was so distracting that when Daniel opened the next door he had opened it on himself.

"**Just hit myself in the face there. This room's light so I got this.**"

_LIT. This room is LIT._

Daniel put out his lantern once more as he looked around the room.

"**Oo a box!**"

Daniel took the box out from under the shelf as the ground seemed to give way to an earthquake.

"**Let's get you out of there and-what's doing what?**"

Had the voice only just noticed? It was horrifying and rather obvious, though it soon stopped and Daniel returned to the box.

"**Crazy earthquakes.**"

Daniel tried to open the box by smashing it to the ground before dropping it to examine.

"**Ok this is clearly a chest. Right? That's a hinge.**"

_And that's the lock which I don't have the key to._

Daniel attempted to break it open once more before throwing it away in frustration and failure.

"**Meaning there's nothing inside of it and/or it's locked.**"

_If there was nothing inside, it wouldn't be locked._

"**Is that a humble figurine? It is…no it's a bookend. I can't move it…but I can throw it.**"

_What?_

"**I feel like there must be tinder or something here.**"

Daniel opened the door to a burning fire.

"**You know I'm pretty sure this would be hotter.**"

_It's rather hot on the inside; the outside is not too terrible._

Daniel searched the cupboard nearby which seemed to always hold something useful.

"**You know I'm really wasting time around here-oo! Tinder, there we go. You know you gotta explore these things, that's what I hear from people who play them. Gotta explore all these little spots or-**"

Daniel ignored the annoying voice because in the next room he found the end of the trail. There was no one there but there was a desk with a light that caught his attention.

"…**Thank you musical cue and…ever guiding camera, um…**"

Daniel collected lantern oil and read a note that was left on the table which read:

19th of August, 1839

I wish I could ask you how much you remember. I don't know if there will be anything left after I consume this drink. Don't be afraid Daniel. I can't tell you why, but know this.

"**It's like ye old hangonver!**"

I choose to forget. Try to find comfort and strength in that fact. There is a purpose. You are my final effort to put things right. God willing, the name Alexander of Brennenburg still invokes bitter anger in you. If not, this will sound horrible. Go to the Inner Sanctum, find Alexander and kill him. His body is old and weak, and yours, young and strong. He will be no match for you.

"**So did you leave me a gun or…?**"

One last thing, a shadow is following you. It's a living nightmare, breaking down reality. I have tried everything and there is no way to fight back. You need to escape it as long as you can. Redeem us both Daniel. Descend into the darkness where Alexander waits and murder him.

Your former self,

Daniel

_Dear lord….This is…so much to absorb…. I…I have to murder a man…I don't even know him…._

"**Yeah but a gun would have helped for killing the old man, I'm just sayin'.**"

Had this voice no morals? Daniel had to kill someone and it acted as if it were nothing!

"**I mean, I may not be able to kill the darkness…**"

Daniel's sanity was deserting him as he explored the darkness after reading such news.

"**Gotcha, insanity, moving back to the candle light. Candle light~.**"

In desperation Daniel used his lantern to explore the other side of the room.

"**Anything over here? Anything over here? Hey a lever!**"

Daniel pulled down on the lever and the bookcase swung open as the wall behind it lifted up to show a secret passage. This was astounding, simply a spectacle to see!

"**Oo, cool.**"

…_._

"**Let's do this!**"

Daniel went through the secret door to what he did not know to be the Entrance Hall.

"**A fragrant taste of rose lingered in his mouth. Turkish delights, he thought. Just like the ones at the consul…**"

The voice was much more enjoyable as he recited this but it was as if he had lost the words at the end.

"**To run, hold left shift.**"

Daniel never understood what the voice meant with words like those but he still began running around the area.

"**Weee-this is…not much of a run but-ahh!**"

A bright, and rather painful, light flashed in Daniel's eyes as he could hear voices. New voices. Voices that seemed familiar.

"**God, that was unnecessary!**"

"Alexander is it…inside the castle?"

_Is that….my voice?_

"In a matter of speaking. Come, bring the lamp. You've been to the refinery, have you not?"

_Then that must be…Alexander's voice._

The man had a rather powerful voice, simply the sound of it made it seem impossible to kill this man. Daniel moved on towards a door down a short collection of stairs.

"I don't believe I have. Is it connected to the…what did you call it?"

"The inner sanctum, my most precious chamber, Daniel. And it lies well beyond the refinery. In fact, it lies beneath the very stone of Brennenburg. "

His voice was purely enchanting, but at the same time seemed cunning.

"**Brrrenenburg~**"

_Unlike your voice…._

The light flashed once more as Daniel's vision corrected itself and he opened the door.

"**Ok, so we shall go through-**"

The door opened to show yet another hall, but this one was blocked by an unusual and unnerving wall of what appeared to be flesh. Daniel paused a moment before going to inspect it.

"…**Intriguing.**"

Daniel wrote a brief note of his observations as he chose his plan of action only to hear the voice read it.

"**Ok let's see what I just jotted down. Is that a note? Daniel's note to se-no, no, nope, that's…not right. Let's try…memento. 'Some sort of organic tissue blocks the path to the refinery. Can it be dissolved?' Well assuming that I wrote that down, yes, it must be able to be dissolved.**"

Daniel touched the tissue to discover it was extremely thick.

"**Tough and pliant, can't be torn by hand or tool. I bet a chainsaw would rip its way through that!**"

_A chainsaw? The title is rather descriptive…perhaps the osteotome?_

"**Although I'm not sure what time frame I'm in so chainsaws might not be relevant, but let's see what we've got back here.**"

Daniel entered another hall and found a well lit and dull surrounding. He found nothing with the bookcases but a tinderbox, but cockroaches were once again everywhere.

"**Hey, tinder! And cockroaches…yes, yes, cockroaches. Hiss, hiss. Oo oil!**"

Daniel collected the oil that was tucked away behind the boxes by the bookshelf and looked at a large door like the one from earlier that started the chain of chilling events.

"**I've got a feeling I'm going the wrong way but-wait, is this that one door? That one door that creeped me the fuck out and wouldn't let me through? It is isn't it? But it doesn't tell me where it leads! Gah fuck it, I'm just gonna assume it's that same door.**"

The roaches gave a loud hiss as Daniel hurried out of the hall in case it was.

"**Yeah, yeah, hiss. Hey maybe I can open you.**"

Daniel went to open a nearby chest with no padlock unlike the last one.

"**Yeah! All right.**"

Daniel grabbed more oil and tinder for his journey with the strange voice, which was apparently from the future judging by this chainsaw idea of his.

_Is this voice a male? It would be creepy if it were not but…._

Daniel resolved to saw the voice was male and continued on his way.

"**Thank god people just leave me oil and tinder…they don't leave me much else though. What's upstairs?**"

Daniel began going upstairs to answer both of their curiosity before quickly turning to face the source of a bone chilling scream from a woman below.

"No! Get away from me!"

"…**Like I said what's upstair-oh fuck it.**"

Daniel ran down and into the archway to find two different directions he could go; he turned left, then right, and decided to go that direction.

"**To in here. Into the laboratory.**"

The voice gave a strange pattern to the word laboratory, but what concerned Daniel was that it seemed to know what the room was. How could it though? It could not have been Alexander's voice; it was completely different from the one he heard himself call Alexander.

"**Traveling to Dover meant going through Canterbury. He made sure to pay a visit to… **"

The voice trailed off into mumbles which Daniel couldn't understand, not that he cared much to. The room was near pitch black and Daniel was feeling unnerved yet again. Light shimmered in from a small window and he felt better as he could hear the call of loons from outside.

"**Ok I just…there's a loon?**"

This voice was becoming rather irritating. Daniel lit a torch; the window was nice, but far from enough. He continues down the stairways and felt a dreadful sense coming over him.

"**I'm sorry, that was clearly the sound of a loon.**"

_Of course it's a loon you blithering idio-!_

There was a great shaking of the ground around Daniel and what sounded like the house moaning. Shakily Daniel finished down the stairs and held to a support beam for balance, hoping it would not give way. The motions stopped and Daniel took tentative steps.

"**Ah but then the question begs: How much of this is just in his mind, and how much of this is-**"

Daniel collected a rolling jar of oil and looked up quickly to see a massive amount of fog, or something similar to it, emitting from an entryway blocked off with boulders. The castle repeated its shakes and moans and Daniel fell into a panic. The fog slowly fell and stopped along with the castle and he turned, unable to look at it.

"…**actually there.**"

It was a good question, he had to admit. How could Daniel be certain all of this was real? It certainly seemed real, but that was hardly a good defense for its truth. Daniel investigated a corner to see an odd mesh sitting along the ground.

"**Ok…uh…based on the large amounts of what appears to be…**"

Daniel walked away before the voice could finish that thought. It was as if humans had been liquefied almost completely; Daniel held his head to try and null the pain it had brought.

"**Oh, lord, I'm not having a good time with that am I? Let's keep moving on.**"

Roaches were hissing all around him, making his head hurt worse.

"Is anyone there?"

Another voice! And it was one not in his head, or so he thought, and not within a flashback; or so he would call those experiences for now. Daniel followed the call down the stairs, not speaking just to be safe.

"**I'm here. Do I actually get to talk to somebody? Or is this all my insanity?**"

The voice sounded annoyed at the thought wile Daniel was crushed; he saw no one in the room and this further proved that he was mad. It was then that it struck him that hearing a voice and treating it so normally should have already alerted him of that fact. Daniel searched the room for a person still though, finding a desk tucked away to the left.

"**My insanity has been getting the best of-**"

Another bright light appeared in Daniel's eye; another hint of the past would come to him, and his burning eyes.

"**OW!**"

There was mumbling, clearly Alexander's voice this time.

"There should be more cuprite."

There were glasses moving about and more mumbling.

"And one part aqua fortis."

There was a bubbling sound and the light shown again before Daniel's vision settled to its normal state.

"**Ok that is entirely unnecessary thank you.**"

Daniel was slightly bewildered that a voice's eyes hurt more than his own, or rather, that it had eyes to harm. To keep himself from going over a plethora of pointless theories, Daniel read another note in his head as the voice read it aloud…or in his head as well he supposed.

Chemical Relocation

The lack of a chimney to properly vent the fumes from my most recent experiments has taken its toll on many of my less stable ingredients in storage. Some seem unaffected, but many are stained by the fumes and will be difficult to salvage. I shall do what I can and move them to the wine cellar.

"**Wine cellar, ok into the wine cellar.**"

Daniel walked on a steaming vent, the moist, warm air felt nice despite his previous run in with fog.

"**Breathe in the fumes th-**"

There was a loud sound in Daniel's ears, like that of roaring, and his vision betrayed him yet again, he looked down to see calm water, and then splashes where nothing was.

"**Right, right, I-what the fuck?**"

The roaring and other sounds continued on as Daniel panted in horror and watched the water in hopes it would settle, and after awhile it did. Though now he heard footsteps above his head and saw the chandelier slightly shake above him. Daniel shook horribly and collected one more jar of oil from across the room to try and keep busy before he took out his lantern.

"**Ok, ok, I'm trembling. Head pounding hands shaking…**"

They were, unbearably so too.

"**So you could say I have chills and they're starting to multiply. I might start losing control.**"

Control? What control? Did this voice somehow make Daniel act against his will without him knowing it? Was the voice his will? He walked back to the desk as he thought a took a pot.

"**Ok, hey! Picked up a…chemistry pot. Gotcha. I'm not gonna waste lantern oil here.**"

Daniel opened a drawer and thought that was a good idea. He lit the candles on the desk and put away the lantern to continue his searching. He found tinder in the top drawer, rather convenient.

"**See the tinder just paid itself off.**"

Daniel closed the drawers to open the bottom one but he shook uncontrollably as he did. The drawer quaked out rather than slid.

"**Hey, hey, hey, hey. You're in the light buddy, come on. Don't be a douche.**"

It was still an intimidating environment and situation though. Daniel moved aside a chair to open the side compartment of the desk, having yet to find anything except for a single tinder box. What he found now was a large cylinder with a light blue jewel of some sort, or so it appeared to be.

"**Hey, what're you?**"

Curious, Daniel reached for it only to be greeted by another bright light when he touched it, but this time it didn't fade to blur his vision.

"**FLYING FUCK!**"

The voice went into what Daniel was still assuming to be its reading voice.

"**One day I will return…**"

And it went once more into mumbles until the light faded.

"**Ok.**"

Daniel reached for it again, hoping the voice would read the whole message aloud, it sounded important.

"**So can I take it no-OWW? No. Ok, I get it.**"

Obviously he did not because the light left once more and it was clear he would never read it. Daniel did not need the voice to read a note though, and he picked up the one sitting on the table. The voice seemed to mumble its reading with an occasional interjection.

Early Alchemy Experiment

This is my third attempt to produce artificial vitae. The former compounds lacked the potency I need, but I sense I'm close. Calamine and Orpiment are a given and the Cuprite binds them well. This time I will attempt Aqua Regia instead of Aqua Fortis in hope it will produce a more even solution.

The experiment was unsuccessful. The solution is highly acid

"**HA HA!**"

and proves impractical to put to any use except as a detergent. Organic tissue reacts especially violently

"**Finally, the solution.**"

to the solution and should be handled with the greatest care.

"**How convenient!**"

I might be able to use the recipe, but I'm losing hope that I will find an alchemic solution to my predicament.

Daniel tucked away the note and turned to see and go after another tinder box that sat inside of a heater, or at least he thought that was what it was, he wasn't too sure anymore.

"**Oo! Ok it actually makes sense to put tinder there. Good thing I know how to crouch.**"

It was yet another confusing cluster of words. Daniel began to leave and heard the footsteps above him again; he wasn't sure if they belonged to someone friendly or not though. He ran up the stairs and back out to the main room the stairs had led him to.

"**Gonna run through the dark, so I don't burn anything, or waste anything.**"

There was a strange sound that the voice's deep groan did not help.

"**And we're gonna continue on our way.**"

Daniel hurried up the stairs to escape the sounds and the dark; opening the door to travel the other direction now.

"**And we're running. Cause the faster I run, insanity can't catch me!**"

This voice made no sense! It stated the obvious, spoke nonsense, and could not even use proper words! And it read parts of works that weren't there before dissolving into mumbles, as it did now.

"**The other children cheered him on….steadily rising…. Are these things just getting slightly more and more depressing? I guess, I don't know.**"

Daniel looked up at a sign above the stairs to the other door. It was clearly in another language; he seemed to know it was called German.

"**Wine Cellar.**"

That must have been the translation. So the voice knows German then? Daniel hurried down the stairs-

"**Weeee~.**"

-and tried to open the door. I would not budge; it was locked.

"…**without a key, ok.**"

Daniel rushed back upstairs with the incessant mumble.

"**Beauty, so the key must be up here right?**"

A strong and deafening wind blew towards Daniel, seeming to wrap around him in a cloud of dust. No matter how many times that happened it grew no more normal to him than the darkness. He escaped the now dying wind upstairs, where he had tried to go earlier before a no doubt phantom scream interrupted him.

"**It's like I'm being chased by The Happening.**"

_The what?_

The door to his left was boarded closed, so Daniel hurried to his right, finding another blocked hallway or room and the sound of another loon.

"**And loons.**"

Daniel continued running straight and through an archway. There was a door ahead and a dead end path down to his right.

"**So this is just a theory, but this being the only other door…**"

Daniel entered the new room with a great creak from the door and more mumbled reading.

"**He fell to the kitchen floor. Tears were beginning to well in his eyes as he received the first kick in his stomach. Hazel remained hidden, in fear she too would be punished.**"

_Hazel? Why does that name seem so familiar….it….it is a sad familiar. Did I know her?_

Daniel closed the door behind him.The hallway was lit and seemed more elegant than the rest of the cold mansion, or castle, but in the middle was a door, broken from its hinges and thrown down. It appeared to b from the door to the right and Daniel wondered: What could have done this, and why?

"**That door slam sounded like a shotgun blast.**"

Daniel walked forward to the door and heard what sounded like a beast, breathing, and somewhat growling. It sounded like it was far from being his friend.

"…**Roar?**"

The sound continued and Daniel collected a part of his diary, praying it would hold answers.

16th of May 1839 "Oo! Story time!"

The unflinching African sun has continued to plague our expedition, making it impossible to dig until dusk. How Professor Herbert managed to find the location in these vast plains of nothingness remains a mystery to me. When I asked him about the tomb again, he told me about the legend of Tin Hinan, "the mother of us all". An interesting story, in its own right, but I can't help feeling there's more. Later that evening, we uncovered a passage beneath the dunes leading to a sand-covered stone structure. The professor was confident it was the tomb we sought and ordered the others to to clear the way- late into the dark cold night.

Tomorrow, I shall lead the men into the ancient structure, hoping to reach the burial chamber. No matter what the professor is keeping from me, the dig should yield something interesting to take back to London and the British Museum.

"**That's…commendable. Let's go.**"

Daniel searched a dresser that was nearby but found nothing useful, only more roaches on the ground.

"**Nothin' in there, nothin' in there, nothin' in there, ok that was a waste of my time. Anything here? Anything? Anything other than that letter? I can grab chairs, but I don't see what use they are.**"

Daniel found nothing of actual use but picked up a figure from atop the fireplace.

"**I'm taking you. At least I got something now.**"

Daniel left the room to enter the adjacent one.

"**But I can't open doors with you, so you're useless!**"

Daniel threw it aside, only realizing what a terrible idea it was afterwards. What if he alerted the thing that was growling earlier? He quickly entered the room to hide, hoping it wasn't in there. He held up the lantern to calm himself, even though the room was lit.

"**Hey, take that insanity! I have a torch.**"

Daniel glanced at an open door to the side before lighting more candles and putting out his lantern. He had to glance back at it though.

"**That door's gonna slam shut, I just know it. Huh? HUH? Do it! DO IT DOUCHEBAG!**"

Daniel went to the door and almost closed it himself just to shut him up, but decided against it and returned to the desk.

"**Ok you're not gonna do it.**"

There were more books in the compartment similar to the stacks on top of it; fed up with the voice's annoying tendencies Daniel grabbed the knocked over chair and threw it behind himself to reach the drawers. The chair happened to hit the door though, closing it, as if to satisfy the voice. To try and keep it from talking Daniel returned to the drawers.

"**Ok that was the chair's fault…kind of an awesome throw though I didn't even mean to do that.**"

No luck in shutting it up, but the voice was amused and Daniel had more tinder. He reopened the last door to leave.

"**Let's see what's behind this door…another hallway, ok.**"

Daniel entered the door just ahead and heard a swarm of unclear words and voices; they seemed to be Alexander though. There was a brief silence.

"**BOOMER!**"

Daniel nearly had a heart attack.

"**Or not.**"

_You right bloody arse!_

Daniel searched through yet another fruitless dresser that held only two shirts.

"**Ow. Hit myself with that drawer. I have a change of clothes if I need 'em. Wear a lot of the same stuff though.**"

Daniel went to the desk nearby; they usually held something useful for him. There was another note on top and useless books in the compartment.

"**I see you paper. Guess what, I'm checking the drawers first. That's where people keep shit.**"

A tinder box sat in the center drawer.

"**Aye, like tinder!**"

There was nothing more and so Daniel read the other fraction of his former self's diary.

17th of May

"**Story time!**"

1839

My hands tremble as I write. I feel a need to document my tribulation for I fear that my memory will fail me

"**It's as if I might have some sort of Amnesia….**"

if I linger.

Today I took some men and ventured into the dark ancient passage we uncovered. Our torches burned faintly

"**I'm kind of getting some sexual innuendo from that one.**"

in the murky air as we slowly made our way underground. The men were superstitious and fearful. They argued loudly and I felt their language getting to me. I mustered my strength and yelled at them to continue down the slopes and broken steps.

"**Ha, ha, isn't that just the way an English person would do it.**"

The crudely carved passage confused me.

"**Or an American even….**"

It looked much older than the 4th century structure we had expected. The twisting path emerged into a great ante-chamber. The walls were lined with statues unlike any I'd ever seen. Despite their unearthly quality I felt a strange familiarity toward them, which haunts me still. At the far end of the chamber, a great slab of stone sealed off whatever lay ahead. I gave the order to raise it, as I pushed through the narrow space, the heavy stone suddenly dropped, sealing me inside.

"**Well that explains your claustrophobia.**"

I was trapped.

"**I guess. All right, let's keep going here. Come on, something gonna happen? This door gonna blow open, that door gonna blow shut? Anything?**"

Daniel opened the door hoping nothing would happen, and that the voice would not make comments such as with the note ever again.

"**No monsters yet…**"

_YET?_

Daniel drew out his lantern and looked around the hallway panicked. Monsters? Did the voice know something else he did not; something that important? He entered another room to search, and escape the thought of monsters. It seemed harmless and empty so he stepped in; a book fell from the shelf with a loud thud. Normally this should have only given a small jolt of surprise, but with monsters on his mind it scared Daniel greatly and he lit a candle for protection a piano played in the distance and he put out his lantern.

"**And now the ghost play piano. Or whatever are haunting me, I just assume ghost.**"

Thank god, the voice knew nothing of other creatures being here. It must have been a jab, a pulling of the leg if you will. Daniel calmed down and collected oil and tinder from a chest and a heater before it hit him again: what IS playing the piano?

"**I don't know why I assume ghost, I guess when I think haunted I think ghost.**"

Fog was in the room and filled with dust from the book's fall; it seemed to breathe almost. Daniel redrew his lantern to search the other ide of the room and pull out another chest, one with a lock.

"**All right let's pull out this chest-nope, this is one of those ones I just bang around. Fuck you.**"

Daniel tried smashing it open briefly like earlier, but the piano made him throw it away and leave before something could find him.

"**Misleading bastards.**"

Daniel tried one door but it was locked and barely moved. Daniel scribbled something down.

"**Locked, let me guess! It's blocked! That's what your note says.**"

Daniel entered a long, lit hallway and put his lantern away once more.

"**This room's lit.**"

_Thank you._

"**So I can explore this room. Maybe I can play the piano!**"

Daniel walked towards a piano but when he was close by the cover closed over the keys as a growl sounded around Daniel and he looked around in a panic, seeing nothing.

"**Unless the thing doesn't want me to! …fuck you, I'll play piano when I want!**

Daniel lifted the cover open.

"**HAHA! Huh? HUH?...I don't even know why I motion with the mouse, I guess that's just to give you guys the effect, whatever.**"

_Mouse?_

"**Man I am cynical. Maybe that's why I don't get scared by a lot of things.**"

Daniel searched for a new path to his left, or right from the doorway he entered.

"**That's the first hallway I was in. Ok, let's keep going, admire the art.**"

Daniel ran down the hallway, looking around at the décor every now and then; he had almost reached the end of the hall when a very peculiar sound came from somewhere nearby. Daniel entered the hall against his better judgment and saw a stack of boulders that had fallen from above, and blood sitting on the bottom few. A terrible accident must have occurred.

"**Huh…somethi-OH! Right, right, sanity! Gotcha.**"

Daniel lit the lantern and hurried past the scene to a small sun room where a jar of oil greeted him. He put out the lantern.

"**There we go, I'm sane.**"

Daniel saw another piano nearby and lifted the cover off the keys like before; there was no real reason to though.

"**Ok let's see.**"

Relighting his lantern, Daniel went into the shadowed bit of the hallway and entered a room to his right.

"**This seems like a good place to go, the door's already open for me.**"

The room, another one filled with books, was lit so Daniel extinguished his lantern to investigate two large, pinned pieces of paper on a stand of some sort.

"**Maps.**"

On that single note another bright flash filled Daniel's eyes and faded; a flashback.

"**Ok that's getting' old.**"

"Much of the castle is old and hasn't been tended to for centuries. When the shadow arrives, it won't take long until things start falling apart."

It was Alexander's deep and handsome voice. Apparently he knew of the shadow, perhaps he was helping Daniel, or pretending to if the order for his death was any indication. Daniel's former self's voice chimed in with Alexander's.

"We're just buying time anyway. Let's do what we can."

"There is much to be done about the wards. We should reinforce weak structures. The ground would tremble, and there's a risk everything will cave in on us-especially downstairs."

They must not have finished, these things were happening anyway.

"**Ok**"

"Here, here, and there. Let's get the servants working on it."

Alexander's voice stopped with papers being moved and the light shone again the return Daniel to normal-or, what he was.

"**Theory.** **You're…ok, you're following a guy who's talking about unleashing 'the shadow that will destroy things'…I-I don't know how far healthy curiosity can play into that.**"

Daniel was confused all over again and emptied a nearby chest of oil and two tinder boxes. The piano sounded outside the room as Daniel went to leave.

"**Tinder, tinder. And there's the piano playing ghost again, maybe it's playing piano over here.**"

Daniel did not want to see, but he was just too curious. He knew he'd chicken out if he just slowly poked through, so he jumped out completely, and quickly to see.

"**AHA!**"

Luckily nothing was there; at least nothing visible was. Not that it calmed Daniel.

"**Right, right, lantern.**"

Daniel lit the lantern and went into the room to his left.

"**Ok, what's in here?**"

When he was only halfway into the room Daniel heard, and felt, a giant rumble and crash of the house, followed by more dust flying about from just down the hall. Daniel took cover in the room he was entering anyway and put out his lantern.

"**Well that's not…good. I'm gonna explore in here first though.**"

Daniel looked at more paper, this time with maps, and three small scraps.

"**Kingdom of Prussia. Central Prussia**. **Random words; let's see if I can read any of them, uhh…no. That's the quick answer.**"

Daniel took his lantern out to search yet another desk, only to quickly run out of oil.

"**Oh no, I-wait, wait, wait, wait, I got eight…or can I just double click? Yeah I can just double click.**"

Daniel didn't know what the voice was talking about but he filled up his lantern almost completely, lit the candles on the desk, and read the paper sitting there for him; waiting. As soon as he touched the paper he went into a dreadful panic attack; his vision was a nightmare, he panted constantly and fell to the ground in a more…immersive flashback.

"…**Attempting to read gives me HORRIBLE panic attacks. Did I die? Ok.**"

17th of May 1839

After pounding the unforgiving stone wall for what seemed like an eternity, I realized it was hopeless. I was trapped. I fell to the ground gasping for air, trying to focus. That's when I saw a faint blue shimmer.

"**Oo!**"

Daniel saw a long and narrow path, with the same faint, blue shimmer at the end. He took a step and looked around.

My weakened body was heavy to carry,

"**I'm playing my flashback.**"

_Playing?_

Daniel stumbled forward towards the light.

but I managed to push myself towards the enchanting light. It was waiting for me. Enclosed in dark nothingness I felt drawn to the mystic light.

Daniel saw a bowl, or a podium, or something of the sort holding the bright light that seemed to be coming from an orb. He looked around nervously but kept looking back at it.

"**Ok I can't even look away from it. Ah, ahh, gotta try to ignore it, nope! Ok, I'll do it.**"

Daniel reached for the object and took hold of it. The room, or whatever it was, began shaking before shining that bright, white light. Then, all was dark.

I reached out closing it in my hands.

The faint glow escaped my fingers and began to spark brightly and spirit me away. Unlocking alien memories of spiraling towers, endless deserts, and impossible geometry.

The next thing I can remember is the grating sound of stone being lifted. The voices of the Arabs pulling me to safety. And grasped firmly in my hands was the broken pieces of a most peculiar relic.

Daniel was back in the room of the castle, the piano was playing, and he desperately searched the desk drawers.

"**Did I check these?** **Book…nope! Didn't! Haha! Suck on that. Tinder box.**"

Daniel collected another tinder box, searched the compartment to find nothing, and left the room having remembered the sound from before.

"**Now let's figure out that cave in thing was.**"

Daniel saw that the boulders from before had multiplied; he was trapped!

"**Well, low and behold it was a fucking cave in, great!**"

Daniel wrote down a note and turned to see the wall that ended the hallway.

"**All right I assume I have to destroy that, but first let's light this room so I don't go insane.**"

Daniel lit the light above the hall so he could see what he was doing better.

"**Cause Mr. Baby's afraid of the dark.**"

_WE ARE CAVED IN, POSSIBLY WITH GHOSTS, AND I CAN'T DO ANYTHING IF I CAN NOT SEE YOU BLOODY GIT! I am NOT an infant thank you very little!_

"**Well then again, after all this talk of the shadow…um…**"

_Thank you!_

"**Ok, that wall…hey you look heavy!**"

Daniel picked up the head of a suit of armor and went to the wall.

"**Let's see what I can do.**"

Daniel tried slamming the metal against the wall a few times before throwing it and crashing a tremendous hole into existence.

"**Eh, eh, eh, eh, all right let's try this, eh-HO YEAH! Fucking miracles. Ok…fucking miracle.**"

Daniel let the dust settle and jumped up into the hole.

"**Let's see…yep, I think I'm just gonna take a break here.**"

_A break? Does that mean this voice will be gone? At least for now anyway…._


	2. Time to get shitfaced in the wine cellar

"**So uh-yep, there we go!**"

_Does that mean you'll be leaving soon?_

"**All right, now into this…**"

Daniel decided either the voice was leaving or it wasn't, and it did not much matter which by now. He continued through the wall and was quickly greeted by another blinding flash.

"**OH! So soon!**"

"You have to be swift when you activate the first one…you hear that? If it stops, you'll have to start over."

Alexander's deep voice spoke as what Daniel thought to be chains and cogs sounded behind him.

"Isn't all this a bit…excessive?"

"You can never be too careful, Daniel."

"**Ok.**"

Leaving on the strange voice instead of Alexander's, the light returned Daniel's vision to normal and took away the voices of the past; leaving him with the annoying and crude one of the present.

"**Have to get used to that. Uh ok so apparently there's…right, think I found the first one. Um, there are a few book shelves I need to pull on.**"

Daniel observed the book cases and collected another jar of oil. He was not sure how the voice knew how to get out of here, but if he could trust it-not that he had much choice seeing as he had no earthly idea about almost everything around him-he would have to pull on certain books, rather than book shelves, if no lever was near.

"**Let's explore around here first a little bit.**"

Daniel hurried through the dark path between the shelves and to the other side; it was just as dim. He took one of his tinder boxes and lit the candles that had been set in front of the bookcase's side.

"**Uhh, I'll light you so I don't waste anymore of my oil.**"

Daniel turned to see three glass covered stands, like the one he had broken with a broom earlier. In the center one was a note.

"**Oo, I betcha I can read you**"

Daniel picked up a box from his left and readied it.

"**because you're a different colored paper. LANI SMASH!**"

Daniel brought the box down on the glass and shattered it.

_Lani? Is that the voice's name?_

Daniel knew his own, and he had never heard of a Lani, at least not that he could remember, so unless a better name was given he would call him the peculiar name of Lani. Daniel cast the box aside, having gotten what he needed, and returned for the note.

"**Haha!**"

Lani read the words of the note in a deep and rather wicked sounding voice.

Altstadt and Brennenburg Castle 1801

Another region rich with lore is Altstadt, deep within the East Prussian woods. For centuries there have been stories surrounding the hamlet and its neighbor, castle Brennenburg. The quiet forest-clad mountains dressed with scattered lakes is as picturesque as can be, albeit the area is haunted by the dark. Ask any local and you will hear proof of the widespread superstition.

Lani returned to his usual voice.

All travelers should indulge themselves in such conversations since it will certainly serve as exciting entertainment. All of them have their own twists on the tales, but there are some motifs that keep reappearing.

The Gatherers

This story reaches all the way back to the time of the Thirty Years' War. It is said that soldiers who abandoned their duty got lost in the cold dark woods and were forever damned to roam the grounds. Their bodies wrought by their tainted souls have left them disfigured and empty of essence.

"**Dear god it's like a story book, but then again I guess that's what makes these games these games. Uh, gotta immerse myself in the world.**"

_Game? What game? All of this is simply a game to him? What kind of game? Are you actually in control or are you just here to watch my progress in this sick place? How are you even doing that?_

As Daniel panicked, no doubt lowering his sanity greatly, Lani continued to read.

Many have sighted them over the years and describe them as horrid revenants. They move silently through the woods, shying away from any beholder. They are called Gatherers as they seem to follow some ambition to steal living creatures. It is their prey which can be heard struggling inside damp burlap sacks dragged behind them which reveal their presence. What dark scheme do they follow?

A Visit Undone

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, the well known erudite,

Lani cleared his throat.

"**Gonna have to look that one up later.**"

visited Altstadt at the start of the 16th century. He resided in the local inn for a fortnight as he looked for remnants of kingdoms past. During his stay all the prominent members of society paid notice and he is mentioned in many records of the time. One day he went to investigate a burrow in the northwestern glades only to never be seen again. Heinrich is known to have passed away in Grenoble some ten years later. He dismissed the notion of ever visiting Altstadt, which makes you wonder what really happened. Who was this mysterious man who visited the sleepy hamlet in the woods and what happened to him?

Lani's reading had gone to mumbles on the last few sentences. Daniel went to the last piece of paper praying for answers.

"**DEAR GOD!**"

The Immortal Baron

Lani seemed rather tired of reading, as if he could care less, or rather; he seemed irritated by it all. He Read normally at first though, before reinstating his mumbles in all their aggravating glory.

The Baron of Brennenburg lives a reclusive life with his family at his castle nearby Altstadt and like most those of noble birth, rumors are inherited alongside with the title. Researching the history reveals little before the castle was consumed by fire in the late 16th century. It was rebuilt by Alexander, a nobleman from the Rhinelands claiming the role as protector of the Prussian State. Alexander helped the region to flourish and remained popular throughout his presumed lifetime. The family has always been secretive when it comes to lineage and heritage, therefore the birth and death of Alexander and his offspring has never been fully recorded. This has fed the idea that the baron is in fact the one and the same who came from the West over three hundred years ago, lived through the time of occupation, and joined the coveted Order of the Black Eagle along with the great leaders of this country.

"**Ah, ok. Now what creepy's gonna happen?**"

Daniel looked around in panic, hoping nothing creepy would happen as Lani suggested.

"**Nothin'? All right…You what that just makes me wanna smash.**"

Daniel broke the glass of the first stand that held a book with a second box and threw it aside as well.

"**Aw man I didn't even do anything that time.**"

_So he's not in control. Good._

"**Oh well.**"

Daniel grabbed the last box and threw it to the location of the second one, not even bothering with the third stand.

"**Let's see, uh, let's see if I can find…according to this thing there should be three of them but I see one here, so I'll yank this out, however I do that.**"

Daniel had been searching the bookcases for something to stand out, as he had found no lever, he found the bright silver books to be out of place. In hopes he was right he pulled the first one out, only for it to stop short of being free and start the chain and cogs sound.

"**Like that, ok. Let's see, it tells me to hurry so, pull this one? Come on, pull.**"

Daniel ran around the bookcases and pulled the second silver book.

"**And there's one more, hello.**"

Daniel pulled the last silver book; it snapped right back into place when he had, resetting itself it seemed. Lani sang, he guessed, a few notes for some reason. Perhaps as a praise?

"**Ah aa! WOAH!**"

A book case slid aside to reveal another room.

"**Fancy. I'll light you real quick.**"

Daniel lit the room light above him so he could easily search the room for any final objects or secrets. He attempted to open a door on his left but it was locked and useless.

"**But I forgot to explore in here so…locked anyway. Um…just keep moving I guess, huh?**"

Daniel entered to newly accessible room. There was another desk in front of a window, paintings hung on the wall, and a cupboard.

"**Ok…. A key! To the wine cellar.**"

Daniel collected the key, curious as to how Lani knew where it led, before horrible sounds and feelings filled the room and Daniel as he whipped his head about to try and see the answer to this madness. He was now panting horribly.

"**Random things just keep happening I guess.**"

_WHY ARE YOU SO CALM!_

Daniel opened the first drawer and saw yet another note.

"**Oh god more paper!**"

Daniel felt the urge to groan or roll his eyes but instead began reading.

"**UGH, AND I HAVE TO READ IT!**"

_No one is forcing you o read, and I surely will not be reading to you._

Lani read using his infamous mumbles.

Regarding Closing of the Wine Cellar

Wilhelm and his fools have endangered my research long enough with their absentminded handling of the human vessels. The sheriff is keeping a watchful eye on the forest and is killing my trusty servants. It's just a matter of time until they follow the trail to Brennenburg. I need to lock Wilhelm and his men up to avoid further investigation from the public. The wine cellar will therefore be sealed off until the matter has been handled. Either the king's men leave or they will starve. Whatever comes first - they can rot for all I care.

Maybe I will feed them some wine, it would in a sense solve both of my problems.

"**I'm glad this guy leaves notes to himself.**"

Daniel discovered nothing else in the drawers and threw away the chair to reach the compartment as he had before.

"**Outta the way chair.**"

There were even more books inside, begging the question of how much can a person read? Daniel threw the first one away and continued looking.

"**Anything behind these books? No. I got a key out of this that's something I suppose…see if there's any other items.**"

There was nothing on the book cases or in the cupboard either. Daniel gave up and returned to the previous room to find another open door.

"**Oh, that happened! That was convenient I suppose….**"

Looking through the door Daniel saw a near pitch black hallway. He saw no candles in the darkness so he took his lantern out to explore. Left and forward being the only promising direction he started with forward. The end right door was locked, and the left was wide open. Both rooms were labeled in German.

"**Wasn't I just in-? Ah no, whatever…no seriously, I was in the study before wasn't I? I guess it just wants me to go this way….**"

Daniel saw little in the left room so he went back to go the only other useful direction. Once he reached the archway he heard a bone chilling roar, put out his lantern, and stumbled out into the main hall from earlier, panting and wishing he had not done so.

"**So am I being attacked now or…?**"

Daniel went for the archway to his right looking around himself constantly.

"**Cause that was, clearly, a roar. I mean, I know like I-**"

Lani was interrupted by the same strange sound Daniel heard when he first entered the main hallway. Daniel had taken cover through the hall hoping whatever had made those sounds was not in here.

"**It sounds like somebody strangling a violin….**"

_A fitting simile I suppose, but hardly the time for it._

Daniel made his way back to the entrance hall for safety and Lani read something again.

"**The sand gave way to his tired body as he fell from the….**"

And cue the obnoxious mumbles. Once through the door the castle shook again, the short hall was darker, and what appeared to be red flesh of some sort appeared on the ground and walls around him. Daniel was not sure what they were, but he was positive he wanted nothing to do with them and hurried back against the door.

"**Ah! Ew, ew, ew!**"

Daniel was having trouble breathing, but he knew he would have to get past it, or face whatever had roared in the previous halls. He gathered his strength, began running, and leaped.

"**Ok, I don't want to touch it so wooop-**"

Daniel landed to soon and hit the flesh, popping some of it and spraying a very painful liquid onto him. It felt like acid on his skin, but luckily it was not strong enough to burn through him.

"**OW! OW! AH! No choice huh? I tried jumping it but, ew…. Did that hurt me?**"

_It hurt me; that much I am certain of._

"**Nope, all is good. All is good, apparently**"

_Wanker._

_ Daniel looked over the ledge he was on. He looked down to see just how far a drop there really was._

"**Not going down that way.**"

A loon called from outside and Daniel continued back to the staircase, running to the wine cellar to see if the key would really work.

"**Running, and into the wine cellar.**"

Daniel lit his lantern to see the key hole but first tried the door on its own, in case it were now unlocked for some reason. It wasn't.

"**Ok, I actually have to go into the inventory and do this huh?**"

Daniel took out the key and unlocked the door. Thankfully it had been the key he needed.

"**And in we go!**"

Thus more reading and damn mumbling began.

"**The stone slab looked like a safety measure. It wasn't meant to be….**"

Daniel had learned to ignore Lani's reading; it proved useless with his mumbling. The room was shadowed, but not so bad that he needed the lantern. Snuffing it out, Daniel continued down the stairs.

"**Ok there seems to be light in here.**"

One section of stairs down the wind howled at Daniel and his vision faltered to match his mind, he hurried down the second set of steps and was greeted by yet another flash of light.

"**But I don't get the random ones like-mother fucker!**"

There were sounds of glasses moving and liquid being poured, wine obviously. There were voices Daniel had not heard yet speaking.

"Where did the baron go?"

"Who cares! He left us enough wine down here to last us a life time! Or at least until tomorrow, hahaha!"

The men laughed as the light flashed away and Lani chimed in.

"**This is gonna end poorly!**"

He read again.

"**Beware: When standing in darkness-didn't it tell me this before? Ok, uh, light.**"

Daniel took out his lantern, the darkness was worse at this level; the small light from the window did not reach him down here.

"**Aha, take that sanity! You are my bitch.**"

Daniel walked around the room and heard footsteps creaking on the floor boards above him.

"**These thing give me a weird illusion like I'm actually hearing things, I love these headset-I love this headset. M'kay, so um….**"

_Illusion? Headset? Will you never explain this?_

Daniel looked at what seemed to be a map but could not make heads or tails out of it and moved on.

"**Guess that's a, uh…. Let's start in here. Cause this door's open.**"

Daniel creaked open a door to another lightless room, and felt compelled to actually speak as his sanity dropped lower and lower.

"What…what is this place?"

"**Ok I'll light something, Jesus.**"

Daniel lit a torch that was nestled against a support beam and looked up as the footsteps loudly started again. Lani sang mockingly.

"**Sanity~!**"

Daniel walked into the darkness towards the only patch of light. There were rose petals and a labeled jar on the ground.

"**Hey lantern oil, or…something.**"

As soon as Daniel touched the jar the castle shook in anger and the wind swirled around him once more and took out the light, what little there was. Boulders fell and blocked off the doorway.

"**Calamine! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!**"

Daniel had just looked up when a barrel came crashing down on him and caused him to black out.

"**What the-? Ow!**"

Daniel could faintly hear Lani speak as he tried to pull himself back up to his feet and open his eyes.

"**Am I dead? W-was I supposed to dodge that or…?**"

With a loud gasp for air Daniel awoke. His head was pounding and he could hear his heart beating. His vision was distorted and blurred and he swayed as he stood. Somehow he noticed the torch he had lit earlier, now gone out.

"**Nope! Totally a cinematic. It blew out my-ahh! That was a waste!**"

Daniel took out his lantern, desperately in need of light and collected a tinder box from a nearby desk.

"**Ok, at least I got a freebie.**"

Daniel searched the room finding boxes upon boxes and more tinder.

"**Do I get another freebie?**"

Daniel collected a third.

"**Yeah! Buy one get one free.**"

Daniel was once again at a loss for what Lani was saying but relit the torch to save his oil and went to a nearby oil barrel to refill it.

"**What are you? Oh, fucking score!**"

Daniel stood by the door in the light, there was a wall of fallen beams and boulders blocking his path but it was the only way out.

"**Ok that's my way out…Oo! I can move these.**"

Daniel felt that same urge to groan but instead worked to move the massive rocks aside as Lani groaned as if he were the one doing the work.

"**Ok let's try piling this one off first, cause it's bigger. Yep, there we go.**"

Daniel moved the top boulders away and began moving the largest one from the bottom.

"**Well this one's bigger, I mean this one down here. So that means I can just roll this fucker out of the way. Roll it outta the way! And get back to work on the other ones so I can try and work on moving these gigantic fucking beams. Uhh, this one seems to be doing nothing so this one's the one I need to move right? Ok um…come on, come on.**"

Lani sighed at Daniel's attempt at moving the heavy beam.

"**Man, He-Man you are not. I'm glad you're probably not going to find a sword for this cause you wouldn't be able to use it.**"

Despite Lani's hurtful words Daniel succeeded.

"**AHA! Suck it! I have won today. Ok we're gonna go in here now.**"

Daniel left and went through the archway to his left. He was about to open a door to his left but as soon as he reached for it there was a boom in his ears a the screams of a man came from behind the closed door. Daniel took out his lantern in need of the light's comfort and he backed away as the door was pounded back and force as the monster roared and the man screamed, finishing finally with small fog. Shaking, Daniel went towards the door, wanting to know and wanting to help, but also wanting to flee.

"**Uum, little more tentative about this now, considering I don't have a weapon, but NYAH!**"

Daniel swung open the door and backed up as rats squeaked, but nothing was inside. Not that he could see. He stepped inside and saw blood stains and flesh on the ground, all of this was enough to drive any man insane.

"**Did I just hear a little ratty rat? Oh well, still very tentative about this. I'm focusing on the rat when I see uh…human sludge, um…yep, that's human sludge, there's no doubt. A lot of it.**"

Daniel had to get away from the sight; unfortunately he decided to leave it by going further into the room where there was even more. He lit a candle so he could preserve more oil but found it almost useless. He edged forward to the massive amounts of human organs and flesh but stopped at another flash.

"**Getting used to it.**"

"What's…happening? Ugh, feels…like…my chest is going…to burst!"

"**Oh god, it's Alien!**"

Daniel stumbled back to the candle as he heard ripping flesh and moving glass.

"My god, Wilhelm, do something!"

"**Whilhelm?**"

"Accept it…we're not getting out of here alive."

"How can you say that? Alexander, you piece of shit, let us out of here!"

The last voice was beating on the door before coughing madly and having to stop. The light flashed Daniel back to his previous state.

"**Then what was with that monster sound I heard before? I thought these guys like…. No, these guys were clearly torn apart, I don't care what they drank; nothing does that!**"

Daniel looked at the mess of organs and tentatively touched it to confirm he was not seeing things.

"**Why is it letting me do that? I…I can touch it, why? Is that brain? Someone was stepping on brain, and now I am.**"

The comments only made things worse for Daniel, he opened a nearby chest hoping for another note of explanation, but he only found tinder and a bottle of wine on the table.

"**Oh well, they left me some tinder…and wine! Which I more than likely should not drink.**"

Scared for his life after the flashback, Daniel threw the bottle against the wall and shattered it to bits. Apparently it had been emptied. Once by the candle again Daniel searched the doors of a knocked over nightstand, or half of a desk; it was too dark to tell really. He pulled open the first drawer awkwardly when the footsteps started above him yet again.

"**Let's see anything in these draw-…yeah, yeah, that trick's getting a little old.**"

_Trick?_

Daniel tried to reassure himself Lani was right about it being a trick and opened the other drawers for no reward.

"**Although, maybe it's actually there to fake me out when something really is behind me.**"

Daniel froze. He stood back up from his awkward crouch and turned to see nothing.

"**Ok. Uhh, keep moving, cause there's gotta be something here.**"

Daniel looked straight ahead as he passed the bits of human, trying desperately not to think of it, he followed pink stains similar to the ones he awoke to and found a table, a note, and another labeled jar.

"**Chemical trail.**"

Daniel collected the jar and explored more before reading the note.

"**Yoink, Aqua Regia.**"

He found nothing else of use in the current room but in fear he forgot to return for the note and left the room completely, rushing past the human bits. There was a dripping sound from above him and Daniel felt a thick drop of something hit the top of his head. He instinctively wiped it off and looked up to see hanging bulks of what looked like either cows or pigs; it was hard to judge from here, even after he took out his lantern.

"**Dripping…that is gotta be one of the weirdest places to hand your pigs.**"

Not wanting to think about how blood had landed on him Daniel left the area quickly, but felt drawn back to them.

"**How do you get them up there?**"

A valid question, but Daniel had no time to focus on that and continued his exploring.

"**Ok so, is this entire physical activity here is basically to collect al of the chemicals like these.**"

Daniel collected his third bottle from a small room and once he did the door swung shut behind him and a monster's moan filled his ears.

"**What's gonna happen? …door…gotcha. Let's explore these-**"

Daniel put out his lantern briefly but could not see so much as a centimeter in front of him and relit it to light a candle on the table and put it out again.

"**Wow this room is pitch black, so I bet if I lit that candle it wouldn't uh…**"

It helped very little on its own so Daniel lit another and searched around the barrels, occasionally using the lantern.

"**Anything under these barrels? Nothing…I just wasted two tinder there. Although these things seem pretty much to be all over the place.**"

Daniel left the room in agreement with Lani's observation.

"**Haven't really had much trouble finding tinder. Although I'm willing to guess it's gonna be a short commodity eventually.**"

Daniel lit his lantern and went to what he believed to be one of the last doors of the area. He pulled on the ring handle and felt another pulse and heard more strange sounds. He backed up as he heard chains dragged across the ground and reluctantly returned to the door, trying to see through the crack between it and the wall.

"**Pissed off something in there….**"

Daniel dared not go near it, and went to try to door to the left while footsteps were creaking above him.

"**Oh fuck, there we go! That's the hint I was waiting for.**"

_A hint? A hint would be very lovely right now if I could see it!_

Daniel snuffed the lantern out and opened the door.

"**Does that mean I should just…**"

The room was dark with a single window in sight, but clearly more down the hall. Daniel heard creaking floorboards and peered down the hall to his right before going to his left.

"**It tells me to hide in the dark, so I can't use light…**"

_What is telling you this, and what are we hiding from?_

Daniel collected a vial of what he knew to be laudanum, though he was not sure why he knew it so well. As soon as he had collected it he heard the growl of a monster and immediately turned around; to his horror, this time he saw what made the sound. At least, he saw the shadowy figure of what made the noise limp away.

"**What th-…there it was!**"

Daniel almost fell backwards, his ears were ringing and he swayed like his vision. In confusion he moved forward with his lantern newly lit.

"**I saw you. I mean, I didn't really but, shit, um…**"

Daniel tried to escape but knew he would have to move forward, where the monster was.

"**Yeah I suppose what really gives you…tension in this, is that sense of hopelessness.**"

Yet again Lani's words only made things worse as something fell from the ceiling just a bit ahead of Daniel. They may have been rocks, and there might be another cave in to try and kill Daniel.

"**The fuck! No, literally, the fuck?**"

Daniel took shallow breathes and looked around the area with his lantern briefly, backing up to light a torch and put out the lantern for his sanity; which Lani read about.

"**My sanity is dangerously low, stay in the light and try to make progress. …my whole world is like a fun house mirror right now. I'm standing right next to this light; hopefully that thing won't come back…. Sanity: ellipses! Awesome. Now let's give this a go, I guess, how much lantern oil do I have? Enough.**"

Daniel couldn't stay there not if the monster could return for him. He refilled his lantern and lit it to press on with his mission.

"**What dropped down here anyway, are those rocks or…? Those are rocks. I'm a pussy.**"

Daniel was relieved to see they were only small rocks; nothing can cause a cave in, surely, though he wasn't sure if Lani was talking about himself or if he was calling them the same person again.

_Why would he call me a cat though? Or himself, he can't honestly be a cat, this is not Alice in Wonderland._

Daniel was jumping to reach a tinderbox that was placed too high up on a bookcase but to no avail.

"**Pick it up! Pick it up!**"

_I'm trying you bloody wanker!_

Daniel gave up on jumping and went to make use of a nearby box as a booster.

"**Fine, I'll do this the thinking man's way! I bet if the monster was here he'd give me a boost. I bet he would, he'd probably be pretty polite before he ripped my flesh off.**"

Daniel collected more tinder boxes while attempting to drown Lani out. The next room housed countless bottles and more rat sounds.

"**I keep hearing rats but I never see one, I see cockroaches all the god damn time. …Ok good the thing probably left.**"

Daniel wished that was the truth but he was not about to convince himself of it when there was a chance that it had not. He crouched down to collect tinder from a bottom shelf before moving on.

"**The controls in this game are really awkward for ducking for me. I'm not entirely sure why, but ducking takes a little bit of time.**"

Wait, was he in control? He thought he had proved earlier that he wasn't but how could he be sure? Maybe he had limited control, or he was the one who thought he was in control! Oh it was useless, no matter what Daniel thought it would not change a thing. All he could do was hope he would listen to his words, as his thoughts were often ignored.

"Something is wrong, all so wrong!"

There was a pause.

"**What's wrong?**"

He had heard him! Daniel saw the last jar and decided he would complete his task of collecting these and settle what was going on once and for all.

"**This is the last thing right?**"

Daniel collected the jar and felt a positive rush, he was about to speak when Lani decided to.

"**Ok, now I'm not sure but…something's going to attack me after like letting me know that shit's near, and shit's going down. I think it would usually be after I do something like that. So I'm gonna be kind of cautious about this.**"

He was right. Daniel was too afraid to speak now; he may alert the monster of his location. Daniel slowly crept out of the room to the main lower level room before running for the stairs.

"**Aaaand-running, running, running, running, running, running, running, running, running, running!**"

Daniel swung the door in front of the stairs shut and hurried up them for the safer environment.

"**Running, running, running.**"

Daniel reached the door without incident and entered the main hall.

"**Home free! All right, made it back into the entrance hall. Ha, that was some uh…that was some-**"

Just like before, the room shook and the harmful flesh grew around him, eating away the light.

"**Oh! Oh! Is this place turning into like-yeah. God it's like being inside Leviathan-**"

One to Daniel's right burst as he tried to pass it, burning as before.

"**GAH-OH GOD DAMNIT!**"

Daniel decided he had little choice and ran over the last bit to enter the laboratory.

"**Go mix this shit now, Jesus!**"

With lantern ablaze, Daniel calmly walked down the stairs to prepare the acid he would need.

"**How's my sanity doing? Crystal clear, wow, I recover quickly.**"

Daniel was not sure why he was so calm himself but he did his best not to dwell on it. He turned off his lantern and ran through the short, dark hall to the lit laboratory.

"**Run through here! There's a light! Ha ha! Fuck you, I'm in the light now.**"

Daniel lit the candle on the side table of the work station so he could easily see what he was doing, though he still felt uneasy.

"**I'll light that candle, just cause I can. …I lit the candle! Ok, now I'm guessing this is the station I do it at.**"

_This is the only station you git._

"**Let's see if this works.**"

Daniel filled the second beaker with the appropriate chemical.

"**Yep, ok, that's the way I do it.**"

He filled the third.

"**Two….**"

He filled the first and everything shook brutally as if trying to kill him with a cave in here instead.

"**ThreEEEEEEE-I am pissing off something! Or I am doing something very wrong.**"

Daniel's sanity suffered a large blow and he drew shallow breathes when it all ended. With shaking hands he filled the last beaker.

"**Four.**"

There was a brief silence of anxiety.

"**Well doing that didn't piss it off nearly as much!**"

After waiting a few moments Daniel set the chemistry pot at the end to collect his final product.

"**Ok gotta have something to actually mix it.**"

Daniel turned the first wheel to start the fires under each beaker.

"**Awesome.**"

Daniel gave them a moment, as well as the footsteps, before returning to turn the wheels for each individual chemical.

"**Oh! Other handles. That is so cool. I like this mechanic, makes me feel like I'm doing-**"

Daniel had just turned the third one when the castle rumbled in disagreement again.

"…**Something doesn't like it when I cook.**"

Daniel felt an urge to groan in the back of his mind but was too afraid to think better or worse of it. He turned the last wheel to finish the acid that glowed a bright green in the pot.

"**There, know what I saw? Too fucking bad Mr. Monster Thing! Cause now I have a steaming vat of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ooze, oh yeah!**"

…_Teenage mutant…ninja…turtles?_

As Daniel wondered if Lani had a past with drugs or not he collected the pot.

"**Hahaha, we're partying like it's the seventies!**"

Thunder sounded in the background, there was a storm outside that would endanger the castle's stability even more.

"**Wow, I even get the thunder clap, I am a mad scientist. I created acid.**"

Daniel ran out and saw that half of the stairs had broken off and fallen to the ground thanks to the shaking. He wrote a brief note on it.

"**Let's go through this hallway again and-OH MOTHER FUCK!**"

He lit his lantern to work by.

"**Yeah, yeah I know his insanity….**"

Lani gave the groan Daniel wanted to and took a deep breathe.

"**Fucking shit….**"


	3. Time to take a nice walWTF WAS THAT!

AN: For those who don't know, laudanum is basically opium and booze so Daniel will not actually heal, just _feel _better, and he'll be a bit insane.

"**Ok so….**"

Daniel climbed onto the fallen platform and attempted to jump onto what was left of the stairs but just missed.

"**Ok that ain't doing. Whoa, wait.**"

Daniel went to grab a rough square of crossed planks and took it to make a ramp; an unstable one but a useful one.

"**Ok, let's try this…. Aw yeah, that'll do. Let's get up here.**"

Daniel carefully went up to the upper level as Lani sang using only the sound 'do' as Daniel hurried out once he knew he was safe...well, safe from falling.

"**And move a little faster, and entrance hall! All right, now that I got that acid I can finally get moving.**"

Lani mumbled; reading again no doubt.

"**Blah, blah, blah, blah, loading screen.**"

_A loading screen? I've never heard of a screen that loads, unless he means like that of a camera but even that's a stretch. What kind of screen is it? And what is he loading?_

"**And let's-AHH THIS STUFF AGAIN!**"

Everything in sight was red and the flesh had over taken the room before Daniel had ever left this time. Whatever this was it was getting faster, and would doubtlessly engulf the entire castle, and Daniel too if he did not hurry. Daniel left the area that nearly crumbled in protest of him as more and more of it grew.

"**Ew, ew, ew, ew-OW!**"

Daniel had just reached the main hall when one of the flesh…things burst on him like before. Once on flesh free ground Daniel turned to see the monstrosity that had devoured the hall and took short breathes.

"**That hurt me?**"

_It hurt me._

"**A few cuts and bruises, I'm good.**"

Ignoring Lani's lack of concern Daniel made his way to the door with the blocked path so he could use the acid before it burned through the pot and him. It was actually rather amazing that it had not spilled when the castle shook; of course Daniel was being particularly careful with it.

"**All right now, let's see, keep following this trail. Oh, hello fleshy-crap, I remember you. Would you like to meet my friend, ACID?**"

Daniel positioned himself and his fingers carefully before tossing the acid onto the growth that had blocked his path, wishing that he had enough for the red mess that insisted on harming him.

"**Hahahahaha!**"

The evil laugh was not helping Daniel's sanity issues.

"**It's like magic.**"

_It's science._

"**Magic science.**"

_Wanker._

Daniel walked through the now open path and entered the door that had lain just beyond the now deceased flesh.

"**Refinery; sounds fun.**"

_Honestly, how do you know what these rooms are?_

Lani read with much more effort, as if rested and in the mood for acting.

"**It became impossible to avoid. The commotion in the streets begged…**"

Then came those damn mumbles.

"…**as he opened the shutters the French soldiers opened fire on the two young men fighting back. Their voices were silenced in a haze of gun smoke.**"

There was a dark and seemingly endless passage stretching out in front of Daniel. Unlit lights hung above and stacks of unknown objects were seen only as a silhouette.

"**Oh great, corridor.**"

Only a few steps down this hall set off a new flashback.

"**Ahh….**"

"It sure is dark in here…."

Daniel could not agree more with his past voice.

"Yes, and there's a good reason for it, but you can light the lamp now if you wish."

"**Kay.**"

Alexander's voice sunk into Daniel's skin every time, and he could not help but wonder why someone would need so much darkness. Daniel lit his lantern to move down the rest of the hall.

"What's the reason? For, darkness that is."

"Stay close, be careful not to stray."

"What's the reason? Why is it so dark?"

"Pay attention Daniel, it's important that you keep going straight and make sure not to stray."

"**Be sure not to stray Daniel.**"

Commanding the last word once more, Lani finished the flashback as Daniel was sure to stay on the path; he did not want to think about what was off of it. Once the flash had gone out Daniel felt on edge; it was as if he knew something dreadful was coming.

"**Or else bad thing hap-ohhhh.**"

Daniel took a few tentative steps and put out his lantern; somehow Lani's expression managed to worsen thing yet again. Finally entering something other than hallway, sort of, Daniel saw two large, silhouetted barrels and other unidentifiable objects. He looked around before lighting his lantern and seeing flesh stretched over the barrels' fronts and sides.

"**Something bad here-?**"

A roar like the one from before rang in Daniel's ears and raised the hair on his neck with fear. He hastily extinguished his lantern, lest he draw attention, and saw the same waddling figure stumble in the next room past his view. His breathes were scarce and thin.

"**That's a bad thing! And I probably don't want to be around that.**"

_YOU BLOODY THINK SO?_

Daniel stumbled to the barrel further to the right and relit the lantern when he was sure it would not be visible from the next room. There was a large red stain on the ground and Daniel immediately thought of blood, but seeing as it was the refinery it was almost surely wine. A rat or two spoke, alerting Daniel that other noises may bring the creature back and he willed the invisible rats to silence.

"**And I do want to stay in the light though…. I keep hearing the squeaks…so is that thing just waiting around the corner for me now or…?**"

_WHY ARE YOU SO CALM?_

Daniel inched his way towards the archway the monster had passed to see if it had left.

"**Can I actually go this way? Is it there? Hold on.**"

Daniel snuffed out the light and slowly walked inside before nearly having an epileptic fit at the growing tension and sudden bursts of the mind and sounds. The room almost seemed magenta.

"**Kay, um, being in the dark is killing me so hey!**"

Daniel lit a torch on the wall without thinking, as it was growing rather hard to, and stayed by the light. Lani mocked Daniel and spoke to him as if he were a child.

"**Stay in the light, get Daniel all nice and calm, because he needs his fucking juice box every time he's in the dark!**"

_THERE IS A BLOODY MONSTER IN HERE AND I'M SITTING UNDER A BRIGHT LIGHT THAT MAY AS WELL READ 'EAT ME'!_

"**That's going to be the one thing slowing me down in this game: trying to keep Daniel sane.**"

Terrified of the chance that the monster does take the light as a sign to devour him Daniel quietly moved towards the open doorway, taking out his lantern because he was not quite ready to be without light.

"**I'm probably pretty reckless here but hey.**"

Daniel closed the door behind him so he could shine his lantern in peace. He was about to light a candle when he heard a groan from the next room and his entire body pulsed with light beating sounds surrounding him.

"**What is he here?**"

Daniel fumbled to put out his lantern and the horror hit him harder than the barrel from earlier. He stood back behind the small table as there was a loud pound on the second door. Daniel's stomach was in his throat and it was highly upset. His ears rang alongside his beating heart and his body shook in terror that this dark room would be his grave. He resumed his shallow breaths and crouched next to a barrel for a comforting thought of safety. His mind was so close to gone, and the pounding had stopped, so Daniel lit the candle on the table; if he was going to die, it would be slightly better in the light…he hoped.

"**Seriously, I mean, you give me a little bit of a chance to run away I'd imagine.**"

_Life is not always fair Lani._

"**If so, why the hell would I hide? Honestly. Anyway, paper.**"

Daniel figured he would be here a while so he took his time to read an excerpt from his diary.

22nd of June 1839

"**Story time.**"

It's been more than a month since my last entry. After the event inside the underground chamber in Algeria, Professor Herbert insisted I return to England. He said he didn't want to risk forfeiting the entire expedition lest I took a turn for the worse.

"**Well that's not obvious.**"

An excessive decision in retrospect, but I'm glad it turned out that way.

I found my journal this morning in the haphazard collection of things brought home from Africa. Next to it lay the broken stone orb wrapped in cloth. I tried to assemble it, but couldn't. The pieces wouldn't fit together, as if they weren't from the same object. Could I have imagined it all? Was there ever a complete orb?

Daniel grabbed a bottle of wine.

"**Hey monster,**"

Daniel threw it towards the door that had been beaten upon to see if anything was listening.

"**What'd 'a think of that? …Am I still completely insane?**"

Daniel nearly was after all this.

"**Head pounding, hands shaking. That's not a good thing. Let's see, are there any interesting tools around here for me?**"

Daniel searched about the room and found useless objects and a tinder box.

"**There's tinder, I like tinder, tinder usually helps. Do I have any lantern oil though? That seems to be one of the things I'm running low on.**"

Daniel continued his seemingly hopeless search in the darker corner as Lani called out as if to call a pet.

"**Lantern oil!**"

Only a tinder box greeted them.

"**Tinder. Let's get Daniel back to his light.**"

Daniel held no objections and stayed near his lit candle.

"**Although according to a lot of that stuff the light is what's going to kill me because the monsters are…drawn…to it I guess, because obviously they can see it better.**"

Daniel's mind almost snapped in half.

"**Why is there a rope there?**"

A rope was needlessly wrapped around a large beam that lay on the ceiling. Daniel could hear the wind lightly howling and the faded sounds of a crying child.

"**And who keeps a baby in the wine cellar?**"

_Damn you Lani._

"**How much oil do I have? Oh I have a few. Keep some of those around in case they're an actual...thing, you know like there's something I need to burn or something.**"

After much debating with himself Daniel found it a better idea to press on and through the door to another area with a second door left ajar.

"**Anybody? …Just leaving doors open left and right, were you raised in a fucking barn? Monsters are rude.**"

Daniel closed the door behind him and collected a tinder box, unable to comprehend Lani's unruffled sense of being.

"**Kay. No lantern oil?**"

Daniel went through the opened door and Lani quietly called out.

"**Monster…? …Monster leaves me more tinder.**"

Daniel tucked away the new tinder box as his vision continued to grow worse and the room swayed. Light usually solved this so the lantern arose once more in Daniel's hand. However, light did not normally fix the red flesh on the walls.

"**FINE! Jesus Daniel, just look at the pulsating orbs on the wall and shit, you think being in the dark is any worse?**"

Daniel tried to open a door but it must have been blocked on the other side since he could not move it far enough. A roach was scurrying over his skin, making it crawl with goose bumps.

"**Yeah, ok. I'm just gonna keep exploring. Exploring is-ew, there's a bug crawling on me screen, how did I not notice that?**"

Daniel shook himself to force it off and prayed for no bugs in the next room. As he left the room echoes of strange sounds flooded his ears and he closed the door behind him, lit a candle, put out his lantern, and read a piece of his diary from the table for solace.

25th of June 1839

I feel the need to continue this journal, even though it was intended for my journey in Africa. This must be something very important, I just know it. I've taken it upon myself to piece the orb back together, but it's been more difficult than one might think. The pieces are behaving strangely. They seem to change color, shape and texture, but ever so slightly.

Yesterday I took careful measurements and notated any significant markings. Today, I confirmed my suspicions. They were changing. I was terrified and rushed off to see the finest geologist in London, Sir William Smith. I approached the subject with care, and we discussed how rocks change form. He told me about the nature of glass, how it eventually collapses on itself, like ice slowly melting over the course of centuries.

Smith eased my mind a bit, but I can't escape the feeling that these shards have otherworldly properties.

"**Oh gee, I'm in a sci-fi, horror survival.**"

Daniel collected a bottle of laudanum he suspected he would need and turned to confirm the source location of another unsettling sound as the door slowly swung open.

"**Holy shit is that the monster-? No, that's not the monster.**"

Daniel was slightly relieved that the door had opened itself rather than a monster, but it was still disturbing. He grabbed a laudanum bottle thinking he may need it soon.

"**Unless the monster's made of wind, which would kind of suck. Gotta admit, when fighting monsters invisible ones happen to be the worst…just because in this game, one: I might be able to beat one with a chair.**"

Daniel grabbed a chair for protection and swung it about for practice in case something like that was to happen. It was rather difficult to see this becoming an effective weapon, and it seemed near impossible to continue on if he carried a chair with him so he tossed it aside.

"**But the odds of that happening are slim.**"

Daniel lit his lantern and went to search a room that had not opened by itself; footsteps walked above him like before, but they were not nearly as threatening as the thought of something being on the same floor as him.

"**Yeah I already know; something's either here or not, whatever.**"

Daniel's more than dismal spirits barely improved at the sight of lantern oil.

"**I keep expecting to like just turn around and have it like right there in front of my face:**_** Hey**_**.**"

The gruff voicing of the monster gave Daniel a chill and he lit a candle. Lani would surely only become a bigger danger to his sanity. Daniel left the room and was back in the first dark area with the giant barrels and hissing noises.

"**Oh hey, we went in an entire fucking circle. Awesome.**"

The hisses urged Daniel to run for the door and search for a way out of the loop of rooms.

"**Let's burst our way through this door to get to the light.**"

Once in the second room he stopped by the alluring candle. Lani ran his words together into something impossible to understand as he ran for the candle in the next room. Daniel slowly moved to the third room because he did not remember lighting a candle in there.

"**And, honestly, I am completely fucking-…waaaaait-**"

A stack of boxes blocked a light on Daniel's right and he began moving them aside.

"**Awww snap! Monsters stack boxes.**"

_I don't think a monster would spent its time doing so but…I suppose._

"**Out of my way.**"

Daniel moved the last box and crawled through the small space into a secret room, or rather the room that the uncooperative door led to. A small amount of the red flesh was on the ground, it should be easy to avoid.

"**Haha, aww.**"

The room gave a great cry and Daniel's vision seemed to reach a new height of distortion.

"**Somebody has angered the T-Rex! Seriously, the monster isn't in here.**"

Daniel's vision went back to normal so he certainly hoped it was not.

"**Is it?**"

_God damnit Lani._

"**So it's like…whatever.**"

Daniel emptied a barrel of oil to fill his lantern with a few drops before assessing his surroundings.

"**Ok…there's a lever…and rope…let's see, ok there's a crank right there, and the door was being blocked by those two barrels. Man do I feel weak right now.**"

_They were very heavy! You have no idea what may be in them._

"**No wonder this guy can't take monsters.**"

But he could take his insults while lighting a torch and collecting helpful items…with some trouble.

"**Just having trouble enough moving barrels…or lifting a chest!**"

_It's the lid and it slipped you arse!_

"**Probably can't break any of these boxes.**"

There was barking off in the distance and Daniel was worried he might be sniffed out by an angered dog later. Lani broke the fear with baby talk.

"**There's a puppy down here.**"

_Ugh…._

"**Ok, so let's crank that up I guess, ok, hide in the light.**"

Daniel was growing impatient with Lani and went to turn the crank to discover it's function, but it was stuck. Something must have been clogging the contraption; Daniel made a quick note of it.

"**And cra-fuck.**"

Daniel went to observe the trouble and saw a stick of some sort jamming the pulley.

"**Oh, hello there problem.**"

Daniel could not reach it at first and he jumped while attempting to grab the stick and pull it out. It did him no good; he could not get a firm grip on it from there. He went to get a box to use as a stepping stool.

"**Ok, ok, ok, ok. I learned this before.: You can't do anything by jumping. Anything that was invented before basketball, means I have to use a **_**ladder**_**.**"

While wondering what one would do with a ball made out of a basket and how it related to this situation, Daniel removed the problem from his equation with a great pull and went to try the crank again.

"…**ok, either Daniel is extremely out of shape and that winded him, or….**"

_It was jammed tightly!_

Daniel tried to force the crank further before looking back to see the platform already lifted.

"**Come on, come on keep going-oh, there you go.**"

Daniel went to look down inside the drop down and saw light fog emitting from it. The area below had a red tint to its light and the red flesh covered the back side of it. Lani sighed and Daniel looked away from and back to it and found himself agreeing with Lani's words.

"**Every fiber in my body tells me that going down here is a stupid idea but I know it's the only way.**"

Daniel jumped into the hole and landed on the flesh, luckily unharmed, and knew he would not be able to go back up now. If he wanted out, he would need to find another way. He continued down the dripping hall and felt far worse in here than he did in the darkness above him. He had just reached the corner when the room and his vision behaved strangely like it did above; only this time the red, flesh like substance grew and everything seemed to be dyed red. Daniel walked further down; he would not run yet because he found it could be far worse for him, but he refused to stay there. Unfortunately walking over the red substance resulted in yet another burst.

"**Ow! Fucking land mine puss thing! Ugh, cellar archives.**"

Daniel turned away from the door, drawn towards the hanging light, and the idea of staying here with no monsters nearby.

"**Ok, I'm gonna stand in the light and let Daniel regain his senses for a minute.**"

Time seemed to almost leap forward as Daniel calmed himself and tried preparing himself for the situation.

"**Ok, let's see what we got here Daniel. What's behind door number whatever-the-hell-I'm-on!**"

Daniel entered the room, closing the door behind him as Lani read.

"**He crashed through the surface. The dark Atlantic water smothered him as he struggled to make sense of the situation.**"

The passage made no sense, but it was nice to hear the entire selection rather than mumbles for a change. The next room was a stone hallway with a few boxes scattered about, no decorations, and a lit candle every foot or so. There was a green tinge to the light but Daniel was certain this would be his favorite part of the castle in this horrible time and situation. He took a few steps and gasped at another sudden white flash that had come to prove him wrong. The loud ringing and roar flooded through Daniel's ears as his vision was nothing but black; when it returned to him every candle had gone out, the small light was more red than green, and everything up to his waist was water.

"**Ok I am in a flooded room.**"

Daniel continued forward, splashing as he moved. How had this happened? And just when did this water get here? His thoughts were accompanied by something or someone else splashing in his direction as the loud sounds rang in his ears like before.

"**What's going on?**"

Daniel saw lightning fast splashes coming towards him, but there was nothing making them.

"**What the fu-**"

Daniel was forced back as something incredibly strong and forceful attacked him, apparently thinking his flesh was a delicious snack. Daniel was in immense pain and shock but he hurried on to a nearby box, hoping whatever it was could not climb after him, and stopped as the pain set in, his vision went red, and he tried to see what had attacked him.

"**OW! Fucking ow! Jesus!**"

There were no more splashes, and nothing in the water.

"**The fuck?**"

Daniel was throbbing in pain as well as his head and ears as the creature spoke up with snarls and unique noises.

"**Ok, so luckily monsters can't jump I guess, but…whatever.**"

The monster seemed to almost throw a fit now that its meal was out of reach and Daniel prayed it truly was unable to jump after him.

"**Leave me alone! Ok, let's see. Oh, wait, wait, wait-**"

Daniel lit his lantern, determined to see something in the water, but still saw nothing.

_I suppose Lani was right about invisible monsters, now if I only had a chair…._

"**Light Daniel? Wound is bleeding quite badly-ok let's use some of this laudanum.**"

Right now Daniel would do anything to stop the pain and he drank from one of the small vials. His vision was no longer red and although he was still horribly injured he felt none of the pain he had before. Yes, laudanum would be a good companion for him.

"**Ah! Huh? Huh? Laudanum? Huh? Ok let's try this-HUP!**"

Daniel knew he would have to move, and the laudanum seemed to make him feel much better and more carefree about the situation and leapt across the water and landed on a different box with a thud and the monster splashed behind him.

"**Oh it's following me, fucking fantastic.**"

Daniel jumped to another box, another box, and saw that to keep following the path he would need to reenter the water.

"**Ok I can't jump this one, but I can try.**"

Daniel happily jumped as far as he could; landing just in front of the boxes before jumping onto them.

"**KUJGHKDFUBGDUJ! HAHA! Fuck you, I am not in the water!**"

It was hard to balance with the lantern so Daniel but it back in his satchel before he continued his leaps. He missed a box once but he jumped up just as the monster reached him.

"**Fuck o-haha! Missed me! Fucking monsters.**"

Daniel giggled in his mind; Lani's voice was actually quite entertaining. Daniel jumped and jumped as Lani gave strange sounds.

"**Whoop! Whoop-whoo-whoo-who-whoop!**"

Daniel was positively giddy from this and tried very hard not to fall off of his box.

"**I hate this cause I have to hold down the shift key in order to get this running jump thing down.**"

_I have no idea what that is, but I like it!_

Daniel jumped and landed in the water, he had to jump a few more times to get back on to his box.

"**Ok, ok there's a door right here-get out of the water Daniel.**"

_I'm sorry Mr. Lani…._

"**Even though this monster's pretty damn slow and stupid. Ok, uhh…**"

Daniel pulled at the metal gate, but it was too heavy for him to move very far.

"**Great! Puzzles…with monsters, just what I need.**"

Daniel started to hop his way back to the beginning, thinking of it all like a children's game, similar to girls playing hopscotch.

"**So am I in like…inside something or…. Maybe this'll all be explained later or maybe Daniel's-haha missed me, sucker!**"

The monster had been rather far away from Daniel then and Daniel hopped his way into a room he did not know.

"**Haha! I'm in this room now. And…**"

Daniel's vision was literally pulsing, slowly though, as he grabbed more laudanum that he would be sure to take for one reason or another and lit his lantern to see the pretty light.

"**I'm going insane, I get it! Jesus…have to rub it in my face. Uhh…is there anything here?**"

_There's our monster friend~._

"**Really, just the laudanum that I already…? I guess it'll become more useful as time goes on.**"

_Indeed~._

"**When there are fifty or sixty of these invisible fuckers.**"

_We could start a monster pet shop~!_

Splashes entered the room and stayed by the door and next to the box Daniel was standing on currently.

"**Oh great, now I have to jump right through him.**"

Daniel bounded over the monster and out of the room, jumping repeatedly to get onto a larger box, but he couldn't jump high enough and his arms were too much like noodles to help lift him.

"**Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you! Oh god I can't jump on that-ow!**"

The monster attacked Daniel as he ran and the reality and pain forcibly dragged him out of his delusional stage as he jumped onto a normal box in a frenzied panic, feeling a new rush of pain and some of the old. Once safe on the boxes the pain claimed Daniel's senses and he nearly blacked out, he could never continue on in this state.

"**Asshole! …barely conscious!**"

Daniel drank the first vial of laudanum with minimal success and was forced to drink his remaining dose. He could not risk any more injuries, but just like before, once the laudanum took effect and 'healed' him he did not care for any precautions.

"**There, few cuts and bruises, I'm feeling much better now monster. No thanks to you!**"

Daniel joyfully skipped from box to box having himself a grand time, even when he did land in the water.

"**Come on, let's do this.**"

Daniel jumped into another room that had a lever on the back wall, and by god he wanted to pull it.

"**This is no doubt the way I'm supposed to go.**"

Daniel slipped off the box and into the water.

"**Oh god damnit.**"

With no problem he jumped on to the box in front of him and almost broke into laughter but the loud splashes following him seemed to ruin the humor.

"**Ok, ok, OK! Yes, I know, you're there.**"

Daniel looked at the enchanting lever.

"**Now knowing my luck this thing's gonna be timed.**"

_A race! What fun!_

Daniel pulled the lever and rushed from box to box to beat the clock and a squeaky wheel turned in the distance and the monster chased after.

"**Don't know why they made this thing so god damn complex, unnecessary-! Fuck you, fucking, fuck, fuck, fucking piece of shit.**"

Daniel was at the end but kept getting caught between his box and the gate.

"**Am I gonna get crushed?**"

Daniel made it to the other side just as the gate closed and the monster gave a loud roar of disapproval.

_Well aren't you a sore loser._

"**Ha, fuck you monster! Oh! Oh snap, look who's stuck on-aaauuuugh!**"

A second monster was splashing towards Daniel from across the large span of water.

"**Can you leave a guy alone? Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on.**"

Daniel grabbed and held on to a severed torso.

"**Hey ah, hey monster, monster treat!**"

Daniel took the initiative and began shaking the torso like a treat for a dog while Lani spoke as if the monster was a dog.

"**Who wants a treat? Go get it!**"

Daniel threw the hefty torso to his right and watched the monster actually follow after it.

"…**No way. No way. …No way! Did that fucking work?**"

The monster was ripping into its treat as blood joined the splashes of water.

"**No fucking way, it's actually distracted, that's hilarious!**"

Daniel jumped to the next pile of boxes like a cat before stumbling his way to collect a jar of lantern oil he thought looked nice.

"**Ok I am going to uh-oh you still want more, ok…wow, I can actually distract it, that's hilarious. Ok.**"

The monster fussed about not being fed as Daniel was preparing to continue on to the next island of boxes.

"**Ohh, monster hungry! Oh don't worry monster, whowants****a****mons****t****e****-ahh! Who wants the food! Who wants the food!**"

Daniel seized a severed leg and shook for the monster like before with a big smile.

"**Do you want the food boy? Go get the steak!**"

Daniel threw the leg across the room for the monster to fetch before jumping off the boxes and running to the left to reach the gateway out. The monster went mad and chased him down though, Daniel did reach the box before it reached him though.

"**Oh he's far more interested in me. He wants live food!**"

Lani seemed amused and spoke as if this all were nothing. Though to be fair Daniel understood almost nothing now. Seeing Daniel on a box, the monster went to eat it's dead leg first.

"**Yeah go get the steak. Go get the steak. Who's a hungry monster? Yes you are!**"

Daniel was slowly regaining his normal mind and moved a box so that he could turn the wheel to open the door without standing in the water just waiting to be eaten. As he tried to fix it though it was flung too far and out of reach as well as use and the monster had just returned.

"**I think I kind of…does this thing have like unquenchable thirst, or is it just following me around because I fed it now? Because if it's the later, that's hilarious.**"

Daniel placed a different box where he tried to move the first one before tentatively lifting a torso covered in blood stains.

"**Ok, ok, ok…go get it!**"

Daniel only threw the revolting thing this time, he didn't bother with shaking it like a biscuit seeing as the monster would hear the splash anyway. As the monster went after it, it nudged the box further away from Daniel possibly too far, so he hurried to jump on it before it was too late.

"**No! No, no, you're pushing my box away! Bad monster!**"

Daniel held his breathe until he had landed on the box safely and began turning the wheel to lift the gate open. Once the metal had lifted up and stopped it's creaking and clanking there was silence. Daniel had no idea where the monster was.

"…**Did you eat it already?**"

Daniel took a leap of faith and thankfully got on the box before the monster could try to eat him again; it was right next to him.

"**Yes you did, you're a chubby monster.**"

Daniel needed the monster gone and threw a leg as far as he could, not even thinking about what it was.

"**There, go get it. Yeah go get the steak!**"

Once the monster was far enough away Daniel jumped into the newly opened path.

"**SUCKER!**"

Daniel found it extremely difficult to open and close the door in the water and nearly fainted from the heart pounding scenario.

"**Oh god I have to-I have to run now?**"

Daniel desperately went to the door across the room and pulled at it, but it was locked. Thankfully the lock looked rather simple, now all he needed was the proper tool. He jumped on a box to quiet down the monster outside first; it had already broken a hole in the door but luckily was not able to jump through it and inside.

"**Wow, that thing can go to hell.**"

Daniel spotted something white on a shelf and went after it, acquiring a hollow needle.

"**Trying to break through that lock, asshole. Don't try to break through my locks…prick.**"

_You mean like we're doing? And besides, the door is only closed, not locked._

"**Lock pick!**"

Daniel easily moved the tumblers just right so that the door would be accessible in just a few moments; it must have been a skill of his before this nasty bought of amnesia.

"**I am a fucking genius!**"

Daniel had to roll his eyes this time, it was simply unavoidable.

"**Then again I don't think there are any other items in this room….**"

Anxious to leave Daniel went into the next room as soon as he could.

"**Ok.**"

The tunnel was flooded as well and had even more of the red substance growing about the walls.

"**Oh more waist deep water, fucking awesome, let's move.**"

Daniel wasted no time and ran through the first door.

"**Maybe there's nothing here or…?**"

As Daniel ran the howls and roars grew louder than ever before; his body was taken over by a feeling of death and his vision had been blurred so that he had an extremely small range of sight now.

"**No there's something here! Let's move.**"

The howl pierced through Daniel's eardrums and he now closed doors behind him as he ran with more difficulty than ever before, hoping it would slow down whatever was coming for him.

"**Close that door.**"

After more turns and jumps over barriers of junk Daniel heard a booming pounding against one of the doors behind him, he dare not learn which.

"**Fucking monsters, I fucking hate monsters. Totally winning this race though.**"

There were sounds of hissing and groans, all were bone chilling and made it harder for Daniel to carry on, but his fear willed him to continue running at his top speed.

"**ROOOOAR!**"

Finally Daniel reached the last door and ran into the back hall, slamming the door closed behind him as Lani gave a large groan of annoyance and relief. The sounds had ended, the water was gone, and the area was fully lit.

"**Ok. Ok.**"

There was a long silence while Daniel looked up and then at the door in anger and with his adrenaline rush dying.

"**Fuck that!**"


	4. Fcking Elevators, how do they work?

The hall was not very well lit, but there were a few torches to see by as well as a light at the top of a lengthy staircase that had been behind Daniel. He was far from calm but Daniel was feeling much better now that he was on dry ground.

"**OK, let's keep going here. That was...you know this music isn't expected from a game that's supposed to be horrific. It's like I'm walking into heaven now.**"

Daniel heard no music but he could not care less about music or games now. The heaven bit did grab his attention and made Daniel wonder if he even was still alive.

"**Oh look! A beautiful fountain.**"

There was a fountain at the top of the stairs in front of many windows, but Daniel's attention was drawn to the left where a door opened via mysterious wind, meaning that he would have to go that way eventually.

"**And more wind.**"

Daniel ignored the horrors that awaited him and returned to the fountain, running water would calm him.

"**And a corpse, never mind, this music is completely out of place.**"

Or not.

"**Oh, nope, never mind that's just part of the fountain. It's still out of place though.**"

The fountain was like a large bowl with ridges and lines carved on the inside. Legs of a woman made of stone-he presumed-were bent over the fountains edge at the front. That was odd, but the most peculiar part of the fountain was the tall black spine that held up a blue baby's head that the water flowed out of. Daniel could not help but question Alexander's taste. Daniel splashed his hand in the water a few times to see if perhaps a smaller monster stayed in it and would cause him more trouble, but luckily he was the disturbance in the water.

"**Hehehehe, splash, splash. Ok, uhh...wind wants me to go this way.**"

Daniel headed towards the open door to his doom, trying to prepare himself.

"**So wherever the wind wants me to go, I will abide I guess...**"

Daniel walked down the hall the door led into and almost reached the open area at the end before he knew it was too soon for him to face anything more like those water monsters, turned around, and hurried back out.

"**Or not, fuck 'em! You know what, I'm through playing this games rules.**"

Daniel closed the door so nothing could follow him-hopefully-and went up to the upper level of the fountain room.

"**Yeah, that's what I think of you wind. I am going to start by going upstairs...stumbling over my own feet or something, he's slowing down.**"

Daniel was having trouble climbing the stairs, he was dreadfully nervous about going anywhere, wind or no wind.

"**I'm gonna go into the study!**"

Daniel went into the first room at the top, and rather than read Lani spoke what they both were feeling.

"**You know what, I'm tired of being chased by monsters and stuff. Wherever that wind wants me to go it can't be good. So screw 'em.**"

Once again Daniel had entered a hallway. There were candles lit about the wall and Daniel's only thought was that it would flood.

"**All right. And look, this hallway's lit! It's like...it's like completely different.**"

The room to Daniel's right was filled with piles of books, chairs, boxes, and practically everything he had seen in this castle; including chests.

"**That's one of those ones I can't open. This is one of the ones I can-hey! More tinder. Any, uh, lantern oil around here?**"

Daniel weaved his way amongst the piles of junk and found nothing until he was by the door again.

"**More tinder. I love you tin-aww.**"

Daniel's lantern ran out of oil and went out, leaving him in the dark. He went back into the hall to be by a candle and be able to see what he was doing when he refilled the lantern.

"**Get in the light here, and refill my oil a little. Keep one ready just in case I need to burn something.**"

Daniel took the notion seriously and used three of his four oil jars to fill his lantern before returning to the room of junk.

"**Throw lantern oil on it, strike with tinder, win. Eh let's see...nope does not look like anything else is here.**"

Daniel put out his lantern and went to room across the hall, he could see two fogged windows but no effective light inside; he used his lantern to explore here as well.

"**Check this room... It's creepy, that's promising.**"

Not wanting to use up too much oil Daniel lit a candle, hoping it would be more useful than a few other times he would light only one.

"**So I have a safe spot to run to when I get scared. Huh, it's getting dark out now.**"

The sun was almost completely gone outside the window, no wonder there was not much light. Daniel lit his lantern to quickly look over the bookshelves before hearing the dog in the distance again.

"**Ok seriously, something's gotta shut that dog up. Uhh, looks like this room was a waste of my time so far.**"

The dog continued one, it sounded as if it was in pain.

"**Ok seriously! Shut that dog up.**"

Daniel had decided Lani really was heartless and made his way down the somewhat lit halls. The dog cried louder and louder and Daniel could not help but feel sorry for it.

"**I am getting really damn tired of that damn dog. Seriously, where is it?**"

Daniel looked out the first window in the third section of hallway and the house did its infamous shakes and groans as the window cracked all along the glass to a near shattered state. Daniel hurried back, panicked that it may break and glass shards would fly towards him. The castle settled and Daniel took loud, shallow breaths as he went o take a closer look. The weak wooden frame was now the only thing holding the window up, and for some reason there was a tinder box on the ledge outside. Daniel tried to push the window into breaking but it was no use.

"**Oh yeah, well fuck you too-HEY TINDER! Ugh, it's right there! And lantern oil!**"

Luckily the oil was inside so Daniel could collect it immediately.

"**Hold on, I'm gonna find something to smash that window! Uhh, this way.**"

Daniel headed back to the room of junk, knowing it would be easy to find something to use.

"**Come on there's gotta be something heavy in here. Chairs! Chairs can smash things! Come on chair, we're getting more tinder.**"

Daniel carried the chair he wished he could have had to beat the water monster with and threw it at the window. The glass and wood flew out and the chair was forced back into the hall.

"**Yeah!**"

Daniel leaned out of the window to grab the tinder box, seeing a rather large ledge outside every window, not that it mattered.

"**Wait, who the fuck puts tinder on a window sill?**"

Daniel went back into the castle in fear he would fall to his death and tried to smash one of the other windows with the chair, only to have no effect.

"**Just for that, AGH! Oh I can't break that one. Daniel! Strong enough to break weakened glass, but still too weak to actually destroy any actual, you know, strengthened glass.**"

Daniel inwardly groaned and entered the room across from the windows. There was a large table in the middle of the room with a candle on top, blood stains, another note, various tools, and the head of a dog. Lani sighed at the scene that horrified Daniel.

"**Charming. Well, maybe if I carry this around that other dog will shut up. Show him who's boss.**"

Daniel could not believe what he was hearing. He took the dog's head for an unknown reason, he simply felt compelled to, and seeing how his mind faded in and out it was not too horrible surprising. Daniel's mind did not stay gone too long though, and once it had returned he threw the head immediately; it landed just outside of the room.

"I'll just throw it in his face like that, and he'll be like 'Oh shit, I don't want to mess with that guy'."

Daniel could hardly believe half of the ideas Lani talked about, and his only form of solace were the scattered notes. Hoping it would be more calming to his mind, Daniel decided to read a note before having to come to terms with the dog head. As per usual, Lani read the first bit before fading into a small series of sounds, mostly from his trying to pronounce words.

Animal Experiment

Canis Lupus Familiaris - 1658, April 12

After a short study it is clear that the agitation found among humans can be found in the dog. Fear and pain induce stress which seems to trigger an endogenous response, causing the animal to burst with energy. I believe that the catalyst is produced in the brain. It is difficult to determine exactly where and what it is, but I can sense it, it reeks of cosmic genesis.

Apparently genesis and genius were very alike as Lani had misread the word as such, not that it was too horrible a mistake.

There is an inherent problem in harvesting this energy since the creature is bound to die from the exercise. I must refine this process of torture to enable any real work to be done.

"**Daniel, is this the guy you're working for?**"

More experiments must be performed, but it seems that only human beings are able to produce the amount necessary. It might be their ability to appreciate the severity of the process that ultimately augments their experience of terror.

"**You know I'm seeing all this stuff...but honestly I'm just waiting for the huge reveal to happen that Daniel is the evil one all along, and that the dark forces that are out there are actually trying to kill me cause I did all this shit.**"

That was absurd. Daniel may not of remembered who he was before, but he was certain it was not _that_. He strolled along the room, observing the stuffed dog and various research papes and subjects as he had a few seconds to ponder Lani's words before rage at the very notion of this accusation absorbed him. Whatever that shadow was it was pure evil, not Daniel. In an attempt to vent his rage with a justifiable reason Daniel took a chair and smashed the glass over another table.

"**Course that's just me hypothesising.**"

Daniel inwardly groaned, not only because of Lani, but also because the table held a dead bird rather than a consoling note. Daniel used almost all that remained of his mental abilities to stay calm and carry on.

"**Can I have that canary...? No...?**"

As it was though, he happened to carry on into another flashback, complete with the poor dog whining in the background as Alexander seemed to be calmly dissecting it-or something similar to disection.

"**Hey a bunny!**"

"Let's see what you have to offer."

Alexander's voice was no longer that of a respectable and collected baron, but that of a murderer who knew he faced no threat. He was calm, but threatening. The stuffed rabbit seemed to stare at Daniel, and he repeatedly banged it across the table in a poor attempt to drown out Alexander's voice as Lani seemed...amused. The dog whined and Alexander grunted with force as he assumedly sawed at the dog.

"**Ignoring~.**"

Daniel held the rabbit, unable to bang it against the table while this continued. Alexander gave a sound between a sigh and a groan; he was upset, but not over the dog.

"What a mess. I should have sharpened the saw. But I can sense it. It's definately there."

"**Clearly not me then. This guy was the guy that did that.**"

The flash returned to end the episode of torment Daniel had just faced as he turned back to the large table in the room's center.

"**But hey, I have a bunny to play with!**"

Daniel thumped the mounted rabbit along the table, thinking the loud pounding would help him escape. It did not, if anything it made it worse as Lani thought this motion was a game of making the rabbit hop cheerfully.

"**Bunny, bunny, bunny, bouncing, bouncing, bouncing~!**"

Daniel surrendered the idea and left for the room beyond, taking the rabbit without thought.

"**Anything in here? I'm gonna leave bunny to get warm. Get warm bunny.**"

The rooms in this castle seemed so alike it was frightening all on its own. A large picture of an older gentleman-presumably Alexander-hung by a fireplace and his portrait's eyes bore their way into Daniel, giving him a chill and a collection of goosebumps. He soon remembered that he was holding a dead, stuffed rabbit and opted to get rid of it by placing it in the fire; his mind did not favor the idea. He would try to burn the thing so that he would not have to face the notion of torture or death anymore than he already had, but at the same time it seemed even more torturous to do so and the thought prevented him even though the rabbit was clearly dead. The rabbit simply fell to the ground and Daniel let it be before it became the thing to set him off again.

"**It's ok.**"

No it is not ok!

"**What've we got here? A book!**"

Daniel stuffed the book that sat on the fireplace inside of it to burn, seeing as he could not burn Lani. The book flipped its way out of the fireplace a moment afterwards, and hit the ground sending dust flying about it. Daniel shook and became short of breath. Nothing in this castle followed the earth's laws.

"**HA HA! Inflamable!**"

Lani's booming voice gave Daniel a jolt that urged him to quickly finish his business here. He wished he had gone through the desk before his time with the fire but regardless, he had to sort through it now.

"**Ah desk drawers, those are good...tinder!**"

Lani was easily excited...

"**No more tinder...**"

Daniel went to the right and opened the large compartment each desk had. Once it was open a skull toppled out to his feet and other skulls and bones shifted inside. Daniel hurried backwards to distance himself and drew sharp breaths and at times he could not breathe. Why would those be here? Why did the fire harm nothing? And for the love of all that was holy why were there bloody monsters?

"**...WHO THE FUCK-?**"

Daniel lifted one of the skulls hoping to find something important, perhaps an explanation. Lani sighed as he took it towards the fire, before thinking better of it and placing it on the desk.

"**Oh well, at least now I can reenact Hamlet.**"

Daniel lifted the skull once more, unsure of what Hamlet was, though it did seem faintly familiar. His only chance was to wait for Lani to explain, though he explained about as much as the castle did.

"**Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio-that's enough of that**."

Holding in a groan, Daniel threw the skull away, too far out of his mind to care anymore. He drew his lantern and looked about the room once more, staring at the large portrait of the older man once more.

"**That the guy I'm going to kill?**"

It made sense, this painting was hung in multiple rooms, there was a large A on the robe or coat he wore, and who else besides the head of the castle would have such large paintings, unless of course he had family. Daniel moved one of the books and collected another note to read. Another note for Lani's mumbling, which was a pity, he read very well for the most part.

"**Paper...ohh.**"

Anatomy Frontiers

1658, January 9

Further disappointment. The antiquarian's latest findings yielded nothing. I'm still unable to grasp the inner workings of life and its relation to the power I sense within it. I shall pursue more books on the subject, but I suspect it will be in vain. Since no research has been made in my particular interest I must attempt to fill that void myself. Clearly humans emanate more of the energy I seek, but I hope animals will suffice as they would prove less of a hassle to acquire.

"**I don't know you didn't seem to have much problems coming up with humans. Matter of fact I've seen fewer animal bodies.**"

It's far easier to dispose of deceased animals without question though, the humans would need to stay here...

Daniel returned to the room that held that delightful blood splattered table and took a small hammer to look it over along with the other instruments.

"**You see-why can't I add a hammer to my inventory? I could do a lot of-or the saw?**"

Daniel cast them aside as useless and took a pair of sheers.

"**I don't know what I'd do with these, I mean I could huck them.**"

Daniel threw the sheers against the wall to see how well a weapon they could make; pitiful. As if trying to defy logic even more there was a loud metal clank when they hit the wall.

"**...that wall's made of metal as well. Anyway.**"

Daniel lit his lantern and made his way further down the hall. The cries of the dog were sounding in the distance once more. To save his oil Daniel lit one of the candles to explore the latest mountain of boulders that blocked his path. Of course the candle was too far away from it and he had to use his oil anyway so he had wasted his tinder. As per usual there was nothing useful so Daniel began his way out of the hall.

"**Guess I've done what I can here... Now you see, some would call hat a waste of time, I would call that exploring...and I got tinder! I got more tinder, I got more lantern oil, so...in my mind I've justified this as a success. That's all I need.**"

Daniel more or less agreed, though the only reasoning he needed was to stop following the wind. Exiting the back hall Daniel went to the second door the upper level offered.

"**Ok, there's another...up here-oh this must be my room.**"

_Hold on, your room or my own?_

Either own would be very interesting, but Daniel assumed it was his own rather than Lani's.

"**Unless I'm not a guest...**"

If it was just a guest room it had to be Daniel's, he had heard nothing about Lani outside of his mind.

"**Then again I haven't been the greatest guest in the world, I kind of smashed a lot of his stuff...I helped him unleash an ancient evil, but that was kind of his choice.**"

As soon as Daniel had set foot in the guest room a flashback had started. It was his voice, unaccompanied by Alexander's this time. Given this memory the room had to have been his during his time here. What place would better show who he was? None he thought, as he continued to explore even with his blurred vision.

"My journal is gone. What would they want with my journal?"

"**I dunno.**"

The flash faded while Daniel was in the bedroom that held a large canopy bed with green sheets, another desk, a cupboard, and a few other decorations and objects.

"**Well that was pointful. I guess I learned that they stole my journal...**"

Books had fallen to the floor, or were more likely thrown during his past self's search, and strange stain were around them.

"**Is that...I don't even want to know.**"

Daniel approached the bed from the front, it seemed so large and inviting. He would have given anything to simply sleep and awake to a normal life and all of his memories in tact.

"Can I take a nap or something?"

Daniel brushed his hand over the warm sheets and would have fallen asleep had another bright flash not forced him to stay awake.

"**No, but I can activate a cinematic-sort of.**"

Alexander's voice was in the flashbacks once again.

"Daniel."

"What?"

His past-self seemed annoyed and frustrated.

"Still having nightmares, I see."

"**Creepy!**"

"Yes, I can't shake them. They come every night."

Now he sounded remorseful and worried.

"**You're actually standing at my bedside?**"

"We'll put a stop to them. You'll see."

The flash left after Alexander's last words as it normally did, and Lani mocked the discovery of Daniel's past as he normally did. This time there was a twist though; he used baby talk.

"**We'll put those mean ol' nightmares away. Is that blood or wine?**"

_Hard to tell, there's a busted wine bottle, it's soaked into the desk top, and it's still red rather than a brown like color-OF COURSE IT'S BLOODY WINE! I HAVE AMNESIA AND EVEN I CAN TELL!_

Daniel would not stand to be mocked by anyone, especially Lani. He had more than overstayed his welcome in Daniel's head.

"**It's wine.**"

Daniel resisted the urge to scream in case any other beasts from hell decided to be close enough to hear him. He occupied himself with the empty drawers of the desk and the crowbar sitting next to the wine stain.

"**Oh man I didn't even leave myself any tinder.**"

Lani gasped.

"**A crowbar!**"

_OH REALLY?_

"**Yes! I'm going Half-Life on these motherfuckers!**"

Daniel decided he did not want to understand whatever it was Lani was on about now. He collected the crowbar to 'go Half-Life on these motherfuckers', whatever that meant, before he began reading a new note.

2nd of July 1839

"**Story time!**"

I received a letter today from the Algerian governor's office disclosing the fate of Herbert's expedition. About a week after my departure, Abdullah, one of the men traveling with us, returned from the desert. He was badly injured, as if maimed by a lion. The man rambled deliriously about the expedition being attacked by something horrible.

The French quickly dispatched a search party to look for the expedition. After searching for days, they found the camp abandoned without any trace of Herbert or his men. Tomorrow I'll retrieve the things they recovered from Herbert's tent at the customs house. I don't know what to make of it, but I'm worried for him.

"**I guess that's rightful... But they left me some wine! ...but judging from what happened to the people in the wine cellar...**"

Daniel quickly threw the bottle in a panic, neglecting to consider the loud sound the bottle makes when smashed.

"**Yeah I like breaking things.**"

Daniel checked a cupboard with two shirts hanging inside for a nice place to hide.

"**So these are the clothes I brought huh? ...that's it?**"

Having heard nothing coming for him Daniel went to leave what he assumed to be his room and search more desks. There are an awful lot of desks in this castle.

"**Daniel you are not ready for any occasion, I will tell you that. There's more paper but first...let's look arou-yay laudanum! That's totally healthy!**"

After the wonders it did for Daniel during his time with the water he was more than willing to believe it was.

"**Load me up with that stuff! More news.**"

Daniel read the journal entry which was more than likely the sequel to the last one he had read.

3rd of July 1839

Today I picked up Herbet's things at the custom's house.

"**Wow I read these in the right order.**"

I dug through the trove of documents he had carried and found a log detailing the expedition. The nature of this text ranged from quick notes to colourful accounts of transpired events. I skimmed the pages, trying to figure out what might have happened.

May 17th, the day I was trapped inside the orb chamber, Herbert dryly states:

"Recovered Daniel after one hour of entrapment."

"**That motherfucker.**"

This confused me greatly. I was suffocating within minutes. How could I have lasted an hour?

I continued reading the peculiar text. Herbert states his facts without judgment or passion, but suddenly I could read frustration into his text. He pushed his men to investigate the underground tomb, an effort which seems to have strained the minds of his men. Madness spread through the ranks, and Herbert had to take some extreme measures to continue. He finally visits the chamber himself, where he retrieves the orb to the surface.

"**Da na na na~**"

His account confuses me greatly. If he has the orb, what are those pieces in my drawing room?

"**I 'unno.**"

Lani's four syllable tune from a moment ago confused Daniel, but not nearly as much as this entry. Daniel's only hope it seemed was to find the remaining pages of information. He checked his surroundings but only found a jar of lantern oil.

"**Yay, Lantern oil!**"

Daniel continued searching, and once at the fireplace he lifted another stuffed rabbit like the one from before.

"**Another bunny!**"

Daniel spent a brief moment making the rabbit hop, to appease Lani and the odd yet cheerful sounds he made, before dropping it to the ground without care.

"**You're my friend.**"

_I hope you're speaking to the stuffed rabbit._

Daniel had no wish to be Lani's friend. He attempted to leave the room but the door was stuck. Upon inspection Daniel saw that the lock was broken and that he would need to find another method of opening the door.

"**Stuck due to a broken lock. This sounds like a job for crowbar!**"

Lani was acting ridiculous, such an annoying child, but he was correct. Daniel jammed one end of the crowbar into the crack between the door and the wall before pushing with all the force he had. A moment later the door had broken off and fell into the next room, Daniel was unaware of his own strength.

"**Yeah!**"

One step inside set another flashback off. Daniel could only hope that Lani would not comment on it.

"The key...please, let it be here..."

His past-self sounded worried yet calm. An odd description but it was true. With only that one line the white flash presented itself as a closing to the scene.

"**Kay. Let's see...**"

Daniel shut the door behind him to feel safer as he looked around. Only having taken a step a picture tilted itself so that it hung askew after swinging a few times. The wall behind it looked different, or at least the slivers of it Daniel saw did.

"**Why did that just-I didn't even touch it.**"

Daniel removed the painting from the wall to confirm, or disprove, his suspicions. After putting the painting aside he saw a large section of wall cut out to hold a small jar, far more wall was removed than needed to hold a jar though, but his previous flashback resumed with the usual bright flash.

"Oh, thank God, there it is. I guess this is a good place to hide it, then."

The closing flash came and through its blinding light Daniel had smashed the jar open rather than simply pulling the cork out. Amongst the broken glass Daniel collected a key to something important. After all, if it was not important why would his past-self have been so worried?

"**Yoink! Machine Room Key.**"

_Machine Room? What the devil could be there?_

The room was dark and devoid of anything useful. The bright white of parchment caught Daniel's eye though and he went amongst the clutter to read the entry he prayed held more answers.

"**Another piece of paper.**"

4th of July 1839

"**HAPPY INDEPENDANCE DAY!**"

It's done! The orb is assembled. I was awakened by an exhausting nightmare. Shaking and sweating, I retired to the drawing room with a cup of tea. The relic pieces lay spread across the table as I'd left them. But somehow, I knew how it was supposed to be. I fetched the tar, which I had prepared to fix the pieces together, and without fault, I joined them, producing the orb I remembered so clearly. The tar proved unnecessary. It was pushed out from the joining pieces as they merged on their own with no adhesive.

"**Cool.**"

The ancient stone relic now rests on my table. It's immaculate surface and perfect shape could have been molded by a factory. This is all too strange.

"**Hm. Well ok.**"

This was all unbelievable. Daniel's former self had done so much, experienced things his current self could not even comprehend. Daniel lit his lantern as he searched

"**Anything else in here?**"

Daniel had just looked at the cupboard in the room when a strong chill of fear hit him. He quickly turned around and knew he heard something he coming, no doubt it was another monster.

"**What the-?**"

Daniel closed the door without a second's waste and climbed into the protective cupboard, the only place to hide in here.

"**Ohh.**"

There was a loud roar nearby as Daniel fumbled to close the doors to shield himself. They finally stayed shut after his third or so time fighting with them. He heard the monster make strange sounds, and he could even hear it breathe and goose bumps crawled up his neck and he tried desperately to stay silent.

"**...Hello?**"

_LANI SHUT UP OR I WILL SILENCE YOU MYSELF!_

He was not sure how he would do so, but he would. Daniel thought he heard the monster sniffing like a dog; his body became ice as the notion of that beast being able to track him down sank in. The monster was silent with Daniel, but an instant later it was smashing at the room door.

"**Oh God.**"

Another hit.

"**Oh dear.**"

A third hit.

"**Oh my.**"

Lani may have been calm but Daniel was a nervous wreck wishing his former self had been awake, he stood a better chance. There was a fourth hit and the monster made its sounds. It sounded an inch away as it gave an airy roar and heavy breaths. There was a shuffling sound that Daniel's last shred of sanity wished was the monster leaving.

"**Kay...can you go away now? ...please.**"

There was the sound of a heavy door being opened, it had to be another human, no monster had figured out the mechanics of a door handle yet. What if it was Alexander? Or any other enemy smart enough to actually check the cupboard? Daniel shook in his anxiety but slowly calmed at the thought that it was a friend, or simply the monster pushing a heavy door that had been left ajar. Daniel creaked one door of his protective cupboard open before walking out of it, determined to be the victor of this situation. He waited for a sound and pressed himself against the wall near the doorway when none came. A bolt of surprise flew through him when Lani spoke in his loud and mocking voice.

"**Well Daniel…. Bet you're wishing you had that hammer, huh?**"

_A hammer would not help against THAT you arse._

"**Huh, OK...so that thing's gone now?**"

Daniel entered the room just before the bedroom for a brief look before proceeding onwards.

"**Yes.**"

There was a hiss near Daniel's feet and he almost leaped in fear, but instead searched for the source.

"**Oh, cockroach. Loverly.**"

_Vile creatures._

Daniel looked at all the furniture and the like sprawled about from the monster's rampage in the room.

"**Wow, that thing...this wasn't like this before was it?**"

Another urge to scream suppressed.

"**I mean this room was completely trashed and thrown to hell before but ah whatever. I have the key to the Machine Room, that's all that matters.**"

Daniel went out to the Back Hall hoping that the monster had gone far enough away that he could safely press on. Once in the hall he felt unnerved but did not believe a monster was near, or at least too near. Daniel glanced around himself and then briefly at his feet. The room was exactly as it was before, but at his feet laid a slice of a man in a trail of blood. This may have been whoever opened the door, but this looked far too old for that, this was already a red, purple color.

"**AH, EW! Gross. What is that? Is that torso meat?**"

Lani sounded more sickened than frightened. Daniel was both horrified and disgusted, but after seeing that he was sure the monster had to be near. He had to make sure though. Against his mind and body's wishes Daniel lifted the waist slice of human and threw it from his upper level to the right of the fountain across the room. When nothing made a sound Daniel went down the stairs to hurry himself out of this place. He was beginning to regret not following the wind earlier.

"**Ok. What's over here?**"

Daniel turned to a door on the lower level at the end of the steps, it may have been the door the wind wanted him to follow but by now he did not know up from down. He opened the door the a long, dark hall with two torches at the bottom of the stairs. He walked down feeling an air of familiarity, but he could not be sure if the notion was from his past since he had lost his memory or before.

"**Ah this looks ominous.**"

Daniel had just touched the door when Lani said all he needed to to convince Daniel to hurry back up the stairs to the Back Hall.

"**You're not the Machine Room!**"

Once up the stairs Daniel ran back to the odd fountain.

"**Gonna jog this one.**"

A recollection reared its bright flash.

"**Oh! What the hell?**"

A new voice joined the collection of actors in Daniel's mind.

"Don't forget your bag, Daniel."

"I won't, Herbert."

At least Daniel's old voice told him who it was quickly.

"**Thank you Herbert!**"

"There is no shame in using a parasol in the desert. As it happens, it's imperative to your survival."

As the scene sounded on, Daniel hopped into the fountain and under the sprinkling water to try a to clear his head.

"But it looks ridiculous."

"The shame will hurt much less than dying, I assure you."

"**Hahahahaha…irony.**"

Daniel left the fountain as the show came to an end, seeing it as useless to him now. He knew the door the wind had originally beckoned him to was the only place he had yet to search, and he was less than enthusiastic to explore there. Reluctantly, but quickly, he went to the door before he could decide against it and hurried into the next room.

"**All right, so the machine room must be back down this ominous hallway.**"

Only a few steps in and what seemed to be the hundredth flashback commenced. Daniel was thankful for the clues to his past, but this was by far one of the worst ways to receive them.

"**Son. of a. bitch.**"

At least they annoyed Lani too. Daniel's past-self began his conversation with Alexander.

"You have an ascending room. Will it take us to the inner sanctum?"

"**Elevator, or as you guys call it: a lift.**"

"It will definitely take care of the vertical part of our journey. So, you have ridden an elevator before?"

Daniel was not sure why Lani cutting off the beginning of Alexander's voice upset him so much; it was probably because it may actually be important.

"**Ah, this guy must be more American I guess.**"

_He's Prussian, pay attention._

"Yes, the Colosseum at Regent's Park has one. It takes you to the gallery where you can view the panorama."

"Good. This ride might be a little longer-and in the other direction."

Gears cranked and the voices and sounds left with their signature light. Lani spoke over any thoughts of Daniel's so he made his way about the room, past the elevator and unlocking what was apparently the Machine Room door.

"**Okay. You know I'm left with a few questions right here. I'm going a pretty long way to achieve this goal of killing this guy…now, how did I get all the way back there through all these hoards of monsters and shit? And at the same time, why did I come that far back when all I had to do was kill him, when obviously I must have been closer to him before hand?**"

Daniel entered the Machine Room as Lani finished and was honestly perplexed by the notions he had raised. He could only hope his memory would return soon enough to answer this. The Machine Room hall was lit by two dim hanging lanterns that held plain candles and seemed to have an air of depression about it.

"**Oh, well this is….**"

Daniel drew his lantern as his vision pulsed with his lack of sanity.

"**Am I goin' to get jumped by Freddy Krueger?**"

Daniel had not the slightest idea who that was but if he would jump him he could only assume he was a dangerous man. Steam gave way from the pipes along the ceiling and wall as he nudged closer to an open door.

"**I am aren't I?**"

Through the open door was a spacious room with the odd machine here and there, as well as a board for various useless papers and a drawer-less desk with another diary entry atop it which Daniel read to himself, or himself and Lani, whichever was accurate.

5th July 1839

"**Story time!**"

Today I went to the university looking for answers. I was able to sneak into Herbert's office and pick up an address book along with some relevant text books.

Professor Taylor at the faculty of history was very helpful and I managed to approach the subject of the orbs. The most interesting aspect was the prevalent trace they had left in our culture. The mythic orbs may in fact have inspired the Globus Cruciger which so many royal regalia holds to this day. In ancient times the orbs were held by priests as a symbol of the sun and its power.

As I was leaving I overheard a disturbing conversation. Sir William Smith, the geologist,

"**WILL SMITH!**"

_Good Lord, he knows him…._

was killed last night. Less than a fortnight had passed since I'd asked for his expertise. I know it's silly, but I can't help feeling responsible somehow.

"**I mean, why else would he have been a part of Hitch?**"

_Pardon? Oh nevermind, it won't matter._

Daniel took his lantern and inspected a row of six levers on the nearby wall with a sign above he knew to read 'Pressure', or at least something similar.

"**Pressure.**"

To save his oil Daniel lit a mounted lantern nearby and collected the two tinderboxes it showed him.

"**Tinder! My one true love in this game.**"

_Game? Oh for the love of-I must learn to stop questioning Lani, he might drive me mad before the beasts do._

"**Now, let's see…pressure.**"

Daniel relit his lantern, seeing as the one on the wall was of little help, pulled the lever on the far right as a test; nothing happened.

"**I have fuck no clue what I'm doing so I'm just going to leave these alone for now. Probably doing some harm by touching them.**"

Daniel realized the possible truth in Lani's words and left the room in search of either a way out or something he could do. Maneuvering past the pipes in the hall gave no reward as nothing was past them, meaning that room was all there was that way, so he headed the other direction to a staircase downwards.

"**The bass rumbling in my head is…kind of intense. This place is actually pretty well lit so…. You know what, that is pretty weird how the boiler room is the best lit place I have been so far.**"

Sad indeed, but it was less frightening with the light. The steam made the pipes groan as Daniel entered the next expansive room. There were a few lanterns like before, but the room was too large for them to be very helpful. Daniel lit his lantern and immediately saw an end table presenting a piece of paper to him.

"**Hm, more paper.**"

14th July 1839

I've read every book I can find on the subject. While rich in legend and hearsay, my knowledge is lack for the insight I crave. I've sent letters to many in Herbert's address book, and received answers of varying importance.

Today I got one which differed greatly from the others- from a baron in Prussia. He said nothing about the quaint stories of priests in underground temples. He didn't even mention them. He simply wrote:

"I know. I can protect you. Come to Brennenburg castle." Signed Alexander.

What am I to make of this? Protect me from what? Is someone after me? I looked up Brennenburg and traced it to the Prussian woods near the Baltic Sea. While being the least informative letter I've received, it causes me greatest distress and interest.

As I write my thoughts are drawn to my nightmares in which a most disturbing sound calls to me. A sound defying description, a voice from the void. The last few weeks have been awful with so many sleepless nights dreading a repeat of those horrid dreams. Tomorrow I shall visit my physician, doctor Tate, in hope that he can provide me with sedatives to help me sleep.

"**Sedatives are good.**"

Daniel enjoyed reading his past far more than being blinded by it; it tended to answer more as well. Daniel had just taken a few steps when he saw another sheet of paper sitting neatly on a box.

"**More paper.**"

Lani read the short memo aloud.

Machine Equipment Memo

Note that there are only two spare rods left in the storage-

"**Storage…I left that room.**"

-for the elevator machinery.

"…**using my deductive reasoning, I am to believe that the elevator is broken.**"

Make sure to only discard the ones which are badly damaged and keep the others in the inner Study rooms in case all three would crack again.

Lani sounded questioning as the memo ended but Daniel knew what his next task had to be: find and collect the rods. He began by searching the room he was still in. Instead of rods though, he found an extremely peculiar slab with three circular slots, each with a shape above it: a circle, a triangle, and a square. Above it was a sign that read 'Flow', or, again, something similar.

"**Flow.**"

_Yes Lani, your German is amazing now please be quiet._

"**Circle, triangle, square.**"

Daniel pressed on in search of rods and paper. He checked beneath another large cog that had been left alone for some reason, and inside a chest that held two tinderboxes for him.

"**That's a cog. That's a chest. Tinder! I'd love to see some lantern oil about now though.**"

The room held neither rods nor more paper, and Daniel had been growing nervous about this place. He told himself all was fine and that no monsters were near as he stood in a small area of light one of the lanterns gave.

"**In the light Daniel, in the light. You're safe in the light…even though this is where monsters can see you.**"

_There are no monsters. There are no monsters. There are no monsters. THERE ARE NO MONSTERS!_

"**Yes, I'm freaking you out aren't I?**"

_YES!_

"**Sorry Daniel.**"

_No you bloody aren't._

Daniel left the room at a considerable pace and returned to the much better lit hallway. There was one beat of calm silence before Lani's booming happy voice called to Daniel as he walked, lantern in hand, to the next stairway down.

"**LET'S GO FURTHER IN SHALL WE!**"

The stairs were stained with something Daniel could not identify and his very nerves shivered.

"**Haha, dark splotches on the ground, how promising.**"

The room at the end was in complete darkness it seemed, even though the hallway was lit so well and only an archway separated the two. Daniel slowly entered with his lantern and searched for a candle to light. There was one hanging from above, and once lit it cast just enough light onto the large machine with all of its cogs that was on the nearby walls, wrapping around a corner. Taking a look at one empty side Daniel knew cogwheels were missing and that he would have to find them. Lani took a few moments.

"**Oooooooh! The cogwheel up there was important.**"

Daniel lit more hanging candles and found one cogwheel tucked behind a box and a barrel.

"**There's one.**"

He lifted it out with a clang of collision with a wall-bound pipe before taking it to be set in its rightful place. It would not fit the first one he tried though.

"**Does it fit on this one?**"

It did, and it slid right on as if it knew it belonged there.

"**Fits on that one!**"

Daniel noticed another archway across the room that seemed pitch black within. At least one cog had to be in there. As he entered and searched about he found-

"**Tinder!**"

-tinder. As well as a cask that held a few drops of oil.

"**Oo! Oo! Lantern oil!**"

Daniel filled his lantern with what was available before proceeding back out to the now well lit room.

"**I always figure I should turn off the lantern before grabbing that because refilling something while it's burning just does not sound fun.**"

As Daniel advanced up towards the cog he had found earlier he found a sense of peace and calmness from having a nice, safe job to perform.

"**I sure hope I don't run into a monster down here cause it doesn't look like there are many places to hide. Wouldn't be that fun.**"

Lani had a way about destroying that feeling.

"**Where was that guy? There you are! Right on that table.**"

Daniel took the cog in one hand with ease and made his way back down trying to block out the idea of monsters As Lani half-heartedly sang.

"**Gotta get to work. Work all night. Da da dadadada.**"

_Are you just incapable of being serious?_

"**Ahh, this one?**"

The cog slide onto the peg Daniel had tried putting the first one on earlier.

"**Yup, ok! One more cogwheel, where are you? Let's see….**"

Daniel jogged back upstairs, sure that the last cog was not down there. He checked behind the pipes and around every area he passed.

"**Nope, not over there. Probably back in that first room, or the-nope! Right here. Wow, that was even easier**"

Daniel grabbed the cogwheel from the hall and leisurely made his way to the machine. Lani was making sounds that sounded like they belonged in a circus of some sort, although Daniel was not quite sure what music went on at a circus, or even what a circus really was.

"**Dodo dodododo do dootdo dododo. I have a terrible feeling about when I put this on here but, hey.**"

Daniel felt the same way, but only after Lani had mentioned it. He placed the final cog in its place, hoping they were both wrong. Daniel looked around and had a horrible feeling inside, but nothing happened. Of course, he had not actually started the machine. He pulled the lever to start the machine, whatever it controlled, but it barely turned the cogs before stopping; it needed more work before it would run.

"**Damnit. What else needs fixing? …Probably those spare rod things whatever was talking about. What's in here? Ah, does it do anything? Oh, oh it opens that way.**"

Daniel opened a circular door on an attached piece of machinery that he seemed to vaguely recall the purpose of.

"**Hey Daniel, put your hand in there! Hehehe. Let's try this.**"

_You are a bloody arse and I hope beyond hope you will leave me soon._

Daniel pulled the lever for this section of the machine. The machine gave a clunk and groan but did nothing, and then Daniel remembered what it was: a burner.

_YOU WANTED ME TO BURN MY BLOODY HAND OFF?_

"**Nothing in the burner for it to ignite.**"

_NO THANKS TO YOU, YOU GIT!_

Daniel made his way to the attached room in search of burning material.

"**Ok, um…. God, fuck, I don't know, what's in here? Coal! Coal, perfect, coal. Uhh, let's grab some coal.**"

_Yes, it's bloody coal, shut up!_

"…**How do I grab coal?**"

_You must be joking._

Daniel grabbed a decent sized lump of coal and went back to put it in the burner.

"**There! Got some.**"

He attempted to pull the lever immediately after, but it was clear one lump was far from enough. Lani huffed in annoyance.

"**Greedy ass burner! Fill you the fuck up.**"

Daniel retrieved and loaded another lump before going for more. He would be sure to load the burner well before trying to start it again.

"**Need more? I'm 'a put more in you anyway, cause I can still see more rocks.**"

Once the third lump was in Daniel could see that the burner was full and that now was the time.

"**Ok, let's see.**"

Daniel pulled the lever down and listened to the fire crackle to life before closing the circular door.

"**Close that, and try you again.**"

With a creak from the metal, Daniel pulled the lever of the main machine another time. The machine moved briefly, then stopped; it still needed work.

"**DAMNIT!**"

Daniel had to fix the machine before the coal was burned up. There was plenty more, but only small pieces were left to load. He looked the machine over carefully and searched the room for more machinery, but he found nothing.

"**Ok, what else? What else do I need to do? Ok, I got all that going…. You know what, I'm gonna go check that storage room, 'cause odds are, I need those damn pieces of whatever the fuck.**"

Daniel knew this to be true and was already making his way back towards storage. He was hopeful about storage; there would probably be an abundance of oil and tinder waiting for him, perhaps more paper as well. Storage sounded absolutely lovely.

"**God, this is an inconvenient pipe.**"

More steam hissed as Daniel walked about.

"**Now do all boiler rooms make these noises or just the demonic ones?**"

Daniel found nothing on the upper level and left the hallway and all its rooms for the main hall and the door to storage.

"**Going back to the Back Hall.**"

And then Lani gave his predictable mumbles.

"**The strange letter frightened him. There….**"

The mumbles were as useless as always, so Daniel paid no mind to them. What he did pay attention to was the lit candle set on the edge of a large stone slab that seated a statue of a lion. The fire was enchanting and he simply stared at it for a long time, thinking to himself as Lani was finally silent. He had no idea how long it had been before he finally left the beautiful light.

"**Ok, just had to let Daniel regain his sanity there a minute, and I still have fuck no clue what's going on. All I need is-all I know is I need to go to the storage area.**"

The light had cleared Daniel's head; he felt completely normal. Unfortunately, now he could not remember the layout of the floor as well. He made his way back to the large area with the fountain and hurried across to the door on the other side. Past the door was the series of stairs with the lights on each side of the wall before the door at the end that led him to storage.

"**And here we go. Just down this…incredibly ominous yet nicely lit corridor. At least they've been giving me torches along the way. Gotta say, that's a nice touch.**"

Lani seemed to have begun reading as Daniel entered storage, but it quickly became words of his own.

"**Sir Will Smith, of West Philadelphia. And the nicely lit corridors end here.**"

Daniel lit his lantern to combat the long path of darkness and continued on without problem. At the end of the hall was an opening with a section of stone set in the middle with odd objects scattered about it. There was a lit candle that seemed melted to the ground and another atop the stones and wood. Boxes, sacks, and a barrel were all there and Daniel made a quick note about the powerful notion the darkness here had given him.

"**What cha' got for me Daniel? What cha' got for me?**"

Lani read Daniel's note aloud.

"**The darkness in the storage feels strange and unnatural.**"

_How did you read that after I closed my journal? Did you just memorize it and wait to repeat it? Why?_

"**Well, I wonder why that is.**"

While Lani's amused voice mocked Daniel, he collected a tinderbox that was next to the higher candle.

"**Actually yeah, come to think of it this darkness is all-engulfing.**"

It was true, without his lantern lit the room was pure black save for not so much as an inch away from the fires of the candles.

"**That and it's surrounded by base tones.**"

Daniel lit his lantern and walked to the left of the stones to open the first door he reached. He hesitated for a moment but entered a room filled with shelves of barrels and boxes. There was still nothing after him. Two tinderboxes sat on a shelf, a decent start before he reached the lantern oil Alexander must keep here. On another shelf was part of a drill; the screw of it.

"**Drillbit!**"

He tucked it away and turned around before a loud, low, and gruff roar of a monster infiltrated his ears. Daniel gasped and put out his lantern before crouching behind a box and a barrel. He had been growing so careless. He had not even shut the door and now the monster might just walk in and murder him.

"**Hiding.**"

Staring out from between the objects that hid him, Daniel could barely make out the monster illuminated by the light of one of the candles outside before it moved into the darkness. It had possibly seen him, and it might be coming for him now. If it was and he stayed he would die, but if it had not seen him and he made noise while trying to move it would kill him then. Daniel was having difficulty breathing and decided to risk it; he shifted to his left, away from the doorway and behind more boxes. He could hear the beast's very breathe and he could never tell how close or far it was. His ears slightly rang and he heard crackling that would doubtlessly silence the already faint sounds of the monster's steps. He would have no warning of the monster besides his sight.

"**Leave me alone.**"

Normally Daniel would yell in his thoughts like he normally did around a monster or even in normal circumstances, but he couldn't bring himself to focus on anything else. His vision was pulsing more than before, and he could not see anything besides the boxes in front of him. In desperation for the comfort the candle had given him earlier Daniel lit his lantern. He saw the doorway, but the light did not reach outside it. His vision stabilized but his heart rate did not. His ears were pounding and he was certain that the monster would enter any moment. Any moment it would see the light from his lantern and come for him, and no matter how hard he tried Daniel knew escape would be impossible. If the creature entered it would see Daniel plainly, he would have to move to a better spot for any hope. He stood and made sure he had not alerted anything before slowly moving step by step towards the center. He saw nothing outside and tried to tell himself it was gone by grabbing a tinderbox. He could not take it anymore; he had to see if it was gone. As he came to the door he realized that he was not able to handle the consequences that would come about if it were still there and opted to close the door to at least obstruct its view. The door gave a clank when it shut and Daniel hurried away from it in fear that the monster had heard it and would be coming for him soon. As he hid behind his barrier of shelves and boxes Daniel checked on his lantern's oil level to be sure that at least the comforting light would survive. The oil was running low, but he at least had three more jars of it.

"**How's my, uh, lantern oil doing? Not so good huh?**"

Daniel filled the lantern with two more jars, wishing they held more, and saved one for a later time that he wished to come in place of a monster.

"**Okay, Daniel.**"

As no sounds had come, and staying here would only waste oil, Daniel mustered his courage, or what little he had by now, and put out his lantern before leaving the room. He reached the candle that was on the slab and luckily saw no monster in the immediate vicinity. As he stared at the light Daniel relaxed. His vision settled and the pounding of his head and heart dulled significantly.

"**Get your sanity back…. A slight headache and I was having that vision?**"

It was a quick recovery this time, but Daniel took no chances. If his lack of sanity depleted his health the monster would kill him for sure if it found him. It was safer to risk being seen with a light and be able to escape than to wander in darkness and find it before collapsing with a broken mind. With this analysis, Daniel lit his lantern.

"**Jesus. God.**"

Of course oil was scarce, so he lit a wall torch for now. The area was reasonably lit now, but Daniel had a feeling that this entire level of the castle would be as black as it was just moments ago.

"**I cannot see shit down here.**"

Daniel took a few steps about to examine his surroundings in the faint light. There was little to be said about them, very little of this castle was actually defining.

"**I mean I guess that's kind of the point, but….**"

Lani gave a short groan; Daniel probably would have too, but unlike Lani he could be heard. Having been in well enough health, Daniel lit his lantern and went onwards to complete this nightmare of a journey. Not so much as five steps later, a flashback hurriedly greeted his eyes in violent white.

"**OW! Oh my poor retina**"

Instead of Alexander, his former-self, or even this new fellow by the name of Herbert, Daniel heard the voice of a woman. It sounded familiar, but it took a moment for him to remember it as the voice of the woman he heard screaming before he went on his adventure to enter the wine cellar.

"Please, let me go. I won't tell anyone. I swear. Just let me go home."

The woman sobbed and thumps and clanks sounded as Daniel lit a second torch to prepare in case of a long flashback, although they were growing quite rare.

"No, get away from me! Leave me alone!"

As the woman cried for help and tore at Daniel's moral senses the episode ended with a white light that seemed to be slower than the others. Daniel inched his way along, crouched, and lit a candle for the added feeling of safety its dim light gave off.

"**Always a good sign.**"

Daniel briefly lit his lantern until he found a torch on the wall to light instead; oil was much harder to find than tinder. Turning around, Daniel spotted a door that had been hidden by shadows. Bones were scattered at the foot of it.

"**Oh ho ho gee, I wonder what's in there!**"

Daniel's churning mind and stomach spurred him past the door, down the hall, and down the following stairs. There was more rubble at the bottom and Daniel made a quick note in the light of the candle on the ground.

"**Tinder**"

Of course Daniel collected the tinderbox that had been lying next to it. A sign mounted on a wall pointed off to the rubble with the title "Machine Parts" written in German.

"**Of course. Oh, oh joy! Joy and a fucking half.**"

With no entry available Daniel went back up to search for useful areas. The door with the scattered bones unfortunately seemed the most likely.

"**So I gotta get something to either go around that…**"

Daniel gave a sigh of relief when the door refused to budge and he was able to move on without having to go inside.

"**Or…I don't know, move rocks, blow them up, or something….**"

Daniel found the open and somewhat well-lit area before traveling down one of its dark stairways with his lantern. The stairs creaked and his feet clunked along.

"**And yet that monster's still probably lurking.**"

Horror returned to its now standard host, Daniel, and grew when he saw large barrels at the bottom of the stairs. They were taller than he was and resembled the ones from much earlier; back when the rooms were lit. The rest of the room was slightly altered to suit the rest of the level. A door was located across the room but before he could make use of it Daniel had to be sure to scout the area and collect what he could. To aid in his search Daniel used one of his tinderboxes on a small, mounted candle that gave almost no light.

"**You know I'm lighting all these torches and shit…**"

Seeing the previous failure, Daniel lit a second light that also bore little light for him.

"**So if the monster wanted…**"

The cries of the woman from Daniel's memory sounded from behind the door. Captivated by insanity, fear, and an unknown guilt, Daniel stared at the door before Lani gave a groan of annoyance. This voice had no morality or heart. While Daniel did pity the woman he was almost certain she was just a product of his mind, just as Lani most likely was, so he searched in relative peace. In one corner a medium-sized barrel with a spout at the bottom was propped up and labeled "Secondary" in German.

"**Secondary.**"

Daniel lit a candle on the wall and continued his search only briefly before needing his lantern again. As he passed the door the cries sounded again from beyond. The unexplained guilt got to Daniel and he opened the door without exploring the rest of the previous room; inside were boxes and barrels a plenty, but no life other than an odd bug or two. Daniel was frightened that his mind could do such things, but relieved that the woman had not been in any real danger-if she was even real herself. What scared him the most though, was Lani's booming voice in what sounded like a dreadfully done mock German accent.

"**QUIT CRYING BABY.**"

_I loathe you._

While contemplating the joy having Lani himself trying to escape this hell house while he watched from safety, Daniel collected a drill part and tinderbox from the space between two boxes as well as continued to explore the room.

"**Well good thing these glow. Items can be combined…. How about some lantern oil? That'd be nice. Tinder's good but um****…lantern oil is like-if tinder is…is like, I don't know, if tinder is my uh…if tinder is my wife I guess lantern oil would be like the love of a child, you know?**"

…_I suppose you have some form of a heart._

With a second tinderbox and no other spoils Daniel left the smaller room for a second one on the opposite side of the massive barrel. The woman cried in his ears even as he entered the room that held shelves, broken and stable, but little else. Once her crying stopped the room, or Daniel's vision, became bright red and monstrous echoes sounded loudly. Daniel froze in terror before the vision and sound simply stopped. The sound and lighting faded to the norm and Daniel was a nervous wreck.

"**What?**"

Daniel closed the door to seal himself away in the small, safe environment. The visions may have begun in here, but it was safer than retreating to where monsters have no doubt arrived. He lit a candle on the table that sat on the side of the room to prepare for an extended stay here. The candle lit its area fine, but the other end of the room was pure black.

"**What was that for? Did I do something wrong?**"

_Without question you must have at some point._

"**Am I insane? I'm sane…**"

_I hardly think you should judge your own sanity._

"**What was the flash of red for?**"

Daniel lit his lantern to collect what he could from the first shelf: a single tinderbox.

"**I mean did I piss something off?**"

_You've more than infuriated me._

He lit the candle across the room and put his lantern away before rooting through the contents of the second shelf. Once more, there was only one tinderbox. Amongst the bits of lumber scattered about the back of the room was a chest that held tinder, laudanum, and even lantern oil; there was one of each.

"**Obviously not because the gods of lantern oil have spoken.**"

Surely this had to be a positive sign. Daniel took a deep breath and continued out of the now fruitless room. An identical door and setting was just to the side so Daniel felt compelled to search it as well. Upon entering, his attention was caught by a table to his left in the corner, or to be more accurate, the paper that lay atop it. Daniel read it thoroughly as his mind fought against Lani's voice for concentration on the text.

Regarding Explosive Mixture

Alexander,

I have prepared the explosives you needed

"**Explosives! Called it.**"

for clearing the flood drain.

"**That's a hell of a drain clog you got there.**"

I can't stress enough how important it is that the mixture is handled with care. Please try to tell your featherbrained servants this before you go ahead with your plans. The liquids are not by themselves explosive and should be kept separated to avoid further mishaps. I have arranged two large vats in the next room for the ingredients. All you need to do is to mix the liquids and you are ready to go.

Agrippa

"**Well looks like I'm going to be using that chemistry pot again.**"

Daniel tucked the letter into his journal with the rest and picked up the tinderbox from beneath the table. He lit a candle as the woman continued to sob.

"**Oh stop your crying!**"

_I retract my statement about you having a heart. Clearly I was wrong._

Daniel refilled his lantern before carrying on towards the two mounds of soiled and possibly burned books and lighting the candle between them.

"**I mean hell you don't see me crying and I'm in the middle of this shit.**"

_Because you are NOT in the middle of it, you are commenting on my being in the middle of it without actually helping! All you have done is blabber whatever you please!_

Before he could enter a fit, or have an aneurism, Daniel returned to the table and examined the parts he had collected for the drill.

"**So does that mean I have the pieces I need?**** Nope, I need to find the other part.**"

With a task to distract him, as well as sobs in his ears, Daniel could somewhat ignore Lani. Hardly, but it was still better than before. That is, until Lani mocked the sound of her cries.

"**Yeah, yeah, torture sucks.**"

Daniel was at a loss for words. He had never heard something so appalling and insensitive-that he could remember at least.

"**Did it just get brighter?**"

_Do your words mean nothing to you? Do you not think? You are a mad man!_

Fuming, Daniel collected the final piece of the drill and tinder from across the room.

"**H****ey****, hand drill.**"

Upon collecting all that was nearby Daniel made his way back to the barrel labeled "Secondary." He tried to turn the valve but it had been rusted shut, rendering it useless to him.

"**Yep, so that must be what you're for.**"

Daniel pieced together the three parts of the hand drill and made it a single tool. Lani decided to lilt his voice in response to the completion.

"**Magic!**"

_TECHNOLOGY!_

"**All right, um, let's see…let's drill a hole in you.**"

Daniel did so. He briefly took out his lantern before finding that to be a horrible idea and putting it away.

"**NO, LET'S NOT LIGHT IT ON FIRE.**"

Daniel carefully put the chemistry pot into place so as not to get any on himself. Once it was filled about half-way he took it away from the stream and towards the only other barrel with a nozzle.

"**And collect it into my little spittoon.**** Primary. We are partially filled with the secondary shit, and…hello primary. Let's do it.**"

Daniel drilled a hole just like before and prepared his pot.

"**Now this seems like a poor idea.**"

Without the slightest idea what he meant, Daniel placed the pot in the stream to collect the second half.

"**LET'S MIX THE EXPLOSIVE THINGS! And stand two feet away from it!**"

_GOOD LORD WHAT WAS I THINKING!_

With this in mind he was anxious and scared to move the pot away, if he did it too quickly it might set off. The mixture became a sort of fuchsia color and Daniel promptly, but cautiously, took it back.

"**Oh god this seems like a bad idea….**"

Making sure to keep it far from the explosives, Daniel lit his lantern before seeing and hearing everything groan and shake around him. It calmed quickly but Daniel was nearly beyond repair. He panted heavily and was too cold to feel thankful that the explosives had not reacted to the tremor, but was scared enough to rush up the stairs to make use of it quickly.

"**Yeah I get it, I have an explosive now. So I'm walking around with high explosives…that's a great idea! Let's give the jittery bastard some high explosives.**"

Lani chuckled as Daniel shook.

"**There's a joke on Daniel! Hey Daniel, here's some explosive, try not to SHAKE while you're getting chased by monsters!**"

Daniel prayed that no monsters would appear. While it was true he now had a weapon, he was far more likely to hurt himself with it than a monster.

"**At least I'm right here…. Does this mean I'm losing my chemistry pot?**"

_I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT LOSING MY LIMBS!_

"**Cause if so that's a damn shame, this thing was ever so useful.**"

Daniel slowly positioned the pot at the base of the rubble.

"**Don't stand to close when the blast goes off. OKAY.**"

Daniel backed up the few stairs and hid behind a crate and barrel for protection. When he jumped he could see the glow from the explosives as they calmly sat in need of agitation.

"**Do I click anything or…? I don't have a charge.**** Maybe I gotta throw something at it?**"

Daniel lifted the barrel and threw it down only to miss. It was hard on spirit mostly because Daniel knew the only thing of no use he could throw was one of the bones from the door.

"**Aw I missed hardcore. Uhh, gonna try a human bone. Aim Daniel.**"

Daniel aimed as best he could and hit it perfectly. He saw the color change and the mixture bubble as he ran for the crate.

"**AH, THAT DID IT!**"

There was an earth shattering bang as Daniel saw the dust rise around where the rubble had been and heard the remains rocks tumble.

"**KABOOM!**"

The woman whined.

"**Yeah! Oh quit crying, I did something good.**

_YOU?_

"**Got no respect, no respect at all.**"

_I certainly have none for you, you cruel voice._


	5. Behold the protective power of PORK!

"**All right Daniel. Ready to venture further into the dark abyss? I bet you are!**"

_I honestly cannot understand why you insist on asking me questions that have an obvious answer. I may not be ready but I have no choice._

Daniel traveled down to where the mountain of rubble had been; now it was little more than a few medium sized boulders and the barrel he initially threw.

_How on earth did that survive?_

A sort of green fog wafted from the newly opened passage.

"**Promising huh?**"

A mere moment after lighting his lantern Daniel saw a large smear of blood on the ground at the opening to the connecting area. Daniel was horribly unnerved yet again and even Lani gave nervous laughter, making things far worse on Daniel's mind.

"**Very.**"

He lit a candle that was mounted on a slab that sat in the midst of the room just like in the others.

_What is the purpose of these? I suppose I could hide behind them or run around one to escape a beast, but that seems like a child's game, not a strategy._

Child's game or not, it was better than nothing. Daniel attempted to search in the darkness for supplies and clues, but was not rewarded. He was still panic-stricken and instinctively looked behind himself. His eyes landed on a tall black space that made his heart leap forward and stop before his common sense could tell him it was only a doorway.

"**Hello doorway.**"

Feeling rather embarrassed, Daniel proceeded to the other side of the slab to continue his search. The corner held worthless crates and the bookcase held a few odd bottles as well as a tinderbox.

"**Anything over here? Nope, why would there be? Tinder!**"

A small burlap sack rested besides where the tinderbox had stood and Daniel took it in hand to evaluate its use. The sack was filled with something pliant but obviously useless, so he quickly discarded it.

"**And a sack, what's…? It's probably just dirt. Or skulls, knowing this game, skulls.**"

The woman sobbed lightly as Daniel was tempted to every now and again in this castle. 

"**Yeah I'm coming, I'm coming.**"

Daniel lit his lantern and entered the doorway that had previously caught him off-guard.

_I wish I could have some sort of clue now. These notes have been useful but only for immediate purposes._

"**Don't know who or where you-OH! Son of a bitch!**"

_What perfect timing._

The requested flashback gave sounds of shuffling and clanking metal before the crying woman pleaded in desperation and terror.

"Why are you doing this? Get away from me!"

Earlier than expected, the flash reappeared to end the scene. It seemed completely pointless.

_Alright, how about a useful clue now._

Daniel waited, but nothing happened.

"**Kind of what we heard last time, right? I mean, is that necessary? I mean, it's apparent that somebody's being tortured.**"

To save on oil Daniel lit a torch in the hall for his exit later. He entered an area almost identical to the one before, he even lit the same mounted candle.

_I'll be running in circles if this keeps up! How can anyone manage in this place?_

"**Let's see…. And we're now in a new room.**"

Daniel investigated his surroundings to see just how similar they were as flies buzzed in his ears.

"**Buzz, buzz buzz.**"

The dark was making things impossible for him, but his lantern showed him a row of doors before him, the first of which had been left ajar. He lit a candle that was fixed upon a large crate in the corner before heading inside. Inside the first room was pitch black as he expected, but he had preferred it to stay dark once his lantern showed the hanging, skinned corpses of several large pigs.

"**Oh! Charming….**"

Daniel lit a candle on the desk next to where they hung and before he could truly focus on how pointless and disgusting it was he grabbed one carcass and pulled it towards the small flame. He let go of it almost immediately after his mind resumed proper function and watched t swing back and forth amongst the bodies.

"**Swing, swing. You know it's kind of like clacker balls, only with ribs. Eh? Nah, it's not going to work. Pigs aren't magnetic.**"

_I would punch you if I could._

Daniel left the rotten, swinging meat for his usual round of supply searching. As per usual, Daniel lit a candle near the corner and began sifting through barrels and searching shelves.

"**Got anything here? Tinder…all right.**"

Having found one tinder box and quickly growing nauseous thank to the rotten meat, Daniel exited the room and approached the second one the hall offered.

"**Moving on to door number two.**"

Remembering to act cautiously, Daniel slowly nudged the door open. The moment the door was cracked the slightest amount a monster's roar came from directly behind the wood. Daniel was too afraid and panicked to close it slowly and hope the creature was stupid, so he slammed the door instead, no doubt bringing even more attention to himself. He backed away as it began hitting the door; it was at least stupid enough to not properly open it. As he moved away quietly to try and hide himself when that thing eventually got out, one bang on the door beat his eardrum and nearly forced him to the ground with the mere sound.

"**Or not.**"

This did not relent, and each hit sounded like canons and gunfire directly in Daniel's ears. There was no time to be cautious and quiet, even though those hits would cover the sounds of his feet, so Daniel ran back for the room with the rotten meat for protection.

"**Ok! Daniel, you done fucked up son.**"

Daniel had no time for complaints or comebacks, witty or otherwise, but noticed the sudden silence as he reached the doorway. He stopped and dared a step outside the room to see the situation. Lani saw the opportunity and vocally challenged the beast like a moron.

"**Huh?**"

Both men paused to assess the circumstances. All was silent and Daniel crept near the door in an attempt to pass it safely, something he knew he would have to do either way, while Lani laughed.

"**Wow, you know I thought for sure that the armies of darkness-**"

A sudden and loud smash hit the door as Daniel reached the front of it. Two yards' distance was clearly too close. In blind panic, Daniel ran for the room with the rotten meat rather than running past.

"**WOAH THERE IT IS!**"

There was only one smash this time but Daniel was past caring. Once inside the room with the voices of Lani and the crying woman who never clearly addressed anything, Daniel closed the door and ran behind the row of hanging meat for cover. If it were not for his pride and the fact that Lani never seemed afraid, Daniel probably would not have gone to open his door so soon to check the safety.

"**Hello?**"

Not believing the situation, Daniel stepped outside like before. It was astounding to him, the beast only attacked if he was near. Could it hear him so well? Could it smell him? Could it hear Lani as well? Whatever the case Daniel was frightened and confused.

"**You still there?**"

_YES IT'S STILL THERE, IT CAN'T JUST DISAPPEAR!_

No matter the situation, Daniel still had his limits. To see just when his luck would run out Daniel took one step at a time as a test.

"**Mister angry-monster-dude?**"

Barricades seemed to be a good idea, so a single barrel nearby looked like an excellent start. Daniel picked it up and went to place it in front of the door.

"**I'm just going to put some stuff in your way….**"

Obviously Daniel had pressed his luck. He backed up with the barrel slower than before, thinking it wouldn't break free.

"**Ok….**"

The beast growled and groaned as Daniel put the barrel near its original spot.

"**You are obviously not a happy angry-monster-dude.**"

Daniel retreated for the hanging meat he assumed was pork as the monster carried on with its rage.

"**Oh he's breaking through, uh, best hide. In the darkness.**"

Huddled against the wall behind a row of pig remains was not the best position, but it was all Daniel had. There were large gaps between the pigs and Daniel was far from hidden should that creature break in, but he could see the candle he had lit earlier in a few yards away. Unfortunately he could also hear the being's distorted sounds that were impossible to describe.

"**Not gonna come and get me when I'm hiding behind pigs! …are you? Seriously I can hear you through the wall, stop that…it sounds like you're in my right ear...**"

_Because my right side is against this bloody wall, mystery solved, now be silent!_

"**Are you just going to leave or…?**"

Lani sighed as Daniel's sanity took a tremendous blow.

"**This is getting kind of annoying.**"

_I have an offer then: you go and fight that thing like you want, and I'll safely pass like I want. Now unless you accept that deal I must ask you to shut you god forsaken mouth!_

After a silence from Lani that almost convinced Daniel he had finally heard him, Lani began mocking the monster's noises.

"**Rowruhruh! Rowarhruh! Rowhra!Roawrah!**"

The beast grew considerably louder as he did so for a bit longer. It finally struck Daniel: he had not shut the door. The monster was trapped in its room for now but if it broke out it would not take long for it to find him.

"**See if I can close this door….**"

Attempting to stay quiet, Daniel slowly shut the door before standing just behind it, listening to what was around him.

"**It sounds like he's in the room but I know he's not…seriously I…Mr. Monster?**"

A loud collection of sounds came from the wall.

"**Ok, I'll back away from that side, I guess. I don't know, what?**"

Daniel retreated to the barrels he had barely searched and climbed atop them. Amongst the barrels he saw something on the ground: blessed lantern oil at last.

"**Hey, more tinder. Wait, no, that's lantern oil. It's even better.**"

Daniel tossed aside some clutter and grabbed the near sacred jar.

"**Is that monster still there?**"

It was quiet again, but that did Daniel no real good. For a moment, Daniel could have sworn he had heard the crying woman actually speak. It was faint and mangled, but it was there. Rather than wait for her to be of real use, Lani gave a peculiar and halfhearted tune.

"**Do do do do do doot do…. **"

Daniel threw a rock hard loaf of bread and returned to the other wall.

"**So am I just confined to this meat locker? Are you still-?**"

The monster gave its noise and Daniel promptly backed away.

"**Yep, apparently. Um….**"

Daniel opened the door another time, growing tired of hiding.

"**Let's see.**"

He still was not brave. Rather than fully step out, Daniel held on to the safe door and leaned over to see past it. When nothing new occurred he shuffled out with Lani's voice and the crying woman in tow.

"**Just stay away from that door, let's see if that works.**"

Hoping it would, Daniel crossed behind the slab of stone and support beams that sat in the middle of the room. He kept as far away as he possibly could, lit his lantern, and held his breath as he approached the door. The monster was still growling, but it did not hit the door this time. At the other end of the room was an open door and the sign that read what he was hoping to see: Machine Parts.

"**Machine parts, hey.**"

Before entering, Daniel looked to the shelves across the way he had not searched yet. He debated whether or not it would be safe to look for oil and tinder seeing as it was on the other side, but he had to admit it was not. Putting out his lantern, Daniel journeyed to find the parts he needed for the elevator. Two steps into the hall triggered another flash.

"**Ow.**"

It was the crying woman's voice.

"Please, I beg you!"

There were sounds of flesh being brutally pierced and the woman's garbled reaction. Each sound sent shivers up Daniel's skin, but the worst was possibly the very last sound; the sound of what was possibly her final breathe as her body simply gave up.

"**Well that was unfortunate.**"

Daniel's horror was quickly acquainted with anger when he recognized the sarcastic droll to Lani's voice. He lit the torch below and continued with his burning lantern. He ascended the stairs to his right convinced that there must be at least one survivor for him to help and that if Lani saw that he might cease his joking.

"**Boy, bitch got cut up.**"

Daniel resisted the urge to yell and break something because of the monster, or monsters, nearby. If he could not stop his joking, Daniel might at least find a way to stop Lani from being.

"**Man….**"

There was an identical sign saying Machine Parts to tell Daniel he was heading the right direction.

"**Machine Parts.**"

Down the hall, in the light of his lantern, Daniel saw chains hanging from the ceiling. They showed no particular purpose, but Daniel did not dwell on it as he continued on as leisurely as he could in this castle. The moment Daniel stepped into the area a fire burst into existence upon a pedestal-like stand and red sparks fell from above. Daniel's body and vision shook and refused to work for the time.

"**The fuck?**"

Once his vision settled Daniel could hear cogs turning around him and felt a sensation almost identical to when he was in the water with the invisible creatures. He moved closer to the flames, observing them in both awe and fear. He looked around as Lani chanted odd bits that sounded like a mix of Latin and nonsense.

"**Zamus dominus! Zoruson pon deus! Machina! …parts!**"

Even if Daniel did have a firm grasp on Latin he still would not be able to translate that, nor did he want to. Still greatly unnerved and frightened, Daniel moved to the door past the fiery post while looking back at it repeatedly. The room was dark and narrow; there were shelves but little else. At the end he found a shelf holding a note and two rods, one pink and one blue. He decided to read the note along with Lani first.

"**Ok.**"

In Case of a Missing Rod

If a full set of three rods is unavailable, there is one rod in the inner Study rooms which might work in case the elevator breaks down again. Unless it is absolutely necessary, always use the spare rods in the storage before using a mended one.

Daniel collected the two rods available to him, dreading finding the third.

"**Four phase amplitude rod, and a-**"

A monster's low and loud growl sounded behind Daniel. He immediately gasped and drew short breaths of fear while hiding to the side of the shelf. He lit his lantern to see his options, but all that was around him was a large locked crate and a big, rusted cog. Daniel put out the lantern the second he knew his surroundings and ran to hide behind the crate. There was a tinderbox on the ground but Daniel was too bust stumbling in panic to collect it.

"**Don't worry Daniel, we're getting good at hiding. Aren't we? Aren't we Daniel? Getting good at hiding from the monsters!**"

Lani spoke to Daniel as he would a child who was slightly refining a skill, not a grown man with no means of defense in a monster-filled castle, he even included the baby-talk.

"**Like that one. Remember the one? You remember the one.**"

Daniel attempted to snap back at him but his mind could not focus enough to do so. Each word became a monster of its own and each one gave more fear. His only hope it seemed was to fortify his hiding place. Daniel shuffled around the box quietly and stayed low as he approached the door. Crackling sounds filled Daniel's ears and he felt like he was swaying even though he was clearly stable. Out of the open doorway Daniel saw the fire still burning, but nothing obstructed it. The monster was clearly not there so Daniel stood to speed things up.

"**Aw, don't worry Daniel, there's nothing there…I think.**"

On that reassuring note, Daniel made his way out to observe his surroundings. They had not literally changed, but the room felt like it was in hell itself.

"**Doesn't look like there's anything here.**"

Daniel stood behind the torch-like thing, which did not even have anything to burn, in hopes of seeing into the darkened hallway past it; no such luck.

"**Yeah let's just stare down that dark corridor for a while. Can I touch that fire?**"

It did sound crazy, but in his defense Daniel was crazy himself. He thought that maybe the fire was not real seeing as it burnt on nothing but stone, and if monsters were real anything was possible. Against his better judgment, Daniel reached for the flames and touched the fire. It burned like nothing else could and he quickly tore his hand away from it, shaking it in case of flames and holding it in pain.

"**Ow, it hurts me!**"

While that did not sound genuine Daniel was tempted to burn himself again if it hurt Lani.

"**Yes, the professy will help! Ow, fire indeed hot!**"

Daniel had no idea what Lani was mocking this time and retreated to a corner with a huge broken cog propped up against the wall while he waited for his hand to stop stinging. The pain dulled enough for him to press on; it could fully heal later when he knew he was safe. As Daniel walked by lantern light Lani called out:

"**Hello? Embodiments of darkness? You out here?**"

After turning the first corner Daniel put his lantern out and walking in the light of traditional torches and candles. Soon he reached the area that had given him so much trouble earlier, and from what he could see the door to the monster was still closed. With his sanity healing after the jolt from the fire Daniel's vision had become almost milky; things were smooth but seemed slightly off to him. Despite this milky way of seeing it was good enough for his adventure.

"**So I need to back up to the inner study I guess, I don't know.**"

Daniel went around the slab just as he had before, only now the monster remained silent.

"**Either way, at least I can leave this place, I got what I need.**"

_Leaving this whole castle would be even better._

The next hallway was too dark to go without his lantern, but it still remained calm, Lani even gave another tune made up of doo's and similar sounds. Daniel passed through the hall and the small attached room seamlessly, but once he attempted to move into the area he had previously used his explosives the building shook loose multiple small boulders and rocks with a haunting groan. Safely through, Daniel panted for breathe and stopped in amazement very briefly to look back.

"**Ha, ha, didn't collapse on me!**"

A step or so up the small staircase, Daniel could hear monster's groan undoubtedly close by. He whimpered but convinced himself it was safe; he heard countless noises that were nothing and he was crazy enough to invent them himself, after all he did just put his hand in fire.

"**Oh god damnit.**"

Daniel turned the corner and knew he could not be crazy enough to create what he saw. He could clearly see the horrific thing limping towards him with ropes strapped across itself, large hands, and the largest mouth he had ever seen. It was a misshapen horror and Daniel did not want to test that thing like he did the fire; he immediately ran back as fast as he could

"**What the fuck! No, you go away! You leave me the hell alone!**"

_DON'T SPEAK AS IF YOU'RE SCOLDING A CHILD, DO SOMETHING!_

"**Where'd you come from asshole?**"

_THE BLOODY PITS OF HELL!_

Daniel ran back to the area with the trapped monster and into the room of pigs, slamming the door shut behind him.

"**Save me piggies!**"

He hurried behind the hanging pigs hoping this would somehow help him. Insects flocked onto him and the crackling sounds resumed at a new volume; Daniel's disgust of them stood no chance against his current fear, so he huddled himself in a corner and let them crawl as they pleased as he shook.

"**I think we got away Daniel!**"

Lani was unnaturally happy; one of those things had seen them. They knew there was someone here now; they would be more alert now. Daniel's head pounded in pain and his burnt hand still stung.

"**And you're only completely insane! With a few cuts and bruises. And covered in…what appears to be flies.**"

Daniel shook horribly as he crawled towards the door. There were no sounds and the monster may have passed to the area the parts were stored in. Daniel tried to look through a sliver of a crack between the door and the stone wall, but he could only see the light of the distant candle.

"**So is that thing still out there? How do I even-how do I get around that?**"

Daniel surveyed his surroundings for any kind of weapon or means of escape. Finding none, he huddled by the candle on the desk.

"**Also, if I'm not mistaken, I do believe that thing looked like Abe Sapien without a jaw.**"

Daniel did not know who that was, but if it looked like that monster at all he did not want to meet this Abe.

"**There is not a single beard or mustache in the world you could, like, grow to cover that hair lip.**"

_It has to have passed by now, right?_

In desperation, Daniel moved back to the door and let it creak open slowly. He could not see or hear anything yet.

"**Still there? This is kind of annoying, I mean really.**"

Looking around as he did so, Daniel left the room of pork and protection. He saw nothing and quietly hurried back out, hoping the monster continued on instead of turning back.

"**Just trying to get around you will be a pain in my ass. I mean it'd be great if I had like a sword or something, I don't know, something to immobilize it.**"

Daniel reached the stairs a second time and had to force himself up them. He saw the door with the bones in front and attempted to open it for a closer hiding place. It still did not budge.

"**Of course.**"

Daniel inched his way around the corner where he first saw the jawless beast and finally started to relax when he saw nothing there. Of course he still inched his way around each corner he came to.

"**It moved. It's promising…still here? I can't tell. This's annoying. So let's take a nice jog Daniel.**"

Once past the worst of it Daniel ran upstairs to the back hall door and prayed he would never see one of those things again.

"**A jog back upstairs, to a door.**"

Lani groaned as if the entire ordeal had been nothing more than an annoyance, and then he read in mumbles.

"**He panted heavily, trying his best to keep himself from screaming.**"

_Are you reading about just now?_

"**Woah, woah, what's this? I got a loading wheel. That's the first time that's ever happened in this game. At least since I've been paying attention, which I'll admit isn't that often.**"

_Why do you call this a game, this can't be a game, it's real you twat!_

Daniel ascended the second set of stairs to the door at the top of them and received a flashback of himself and Herbert as a reward for escaping. Lani whined in pain.

_Try being burnt._

"Herbert, how did we find this place?"

"**Herbert.**"

"An old friend back in Algeria gave me a map."

"**Oo hoo hoo, joy!**"

_Must you mock everything!_

"Why isn't he with us? Didn't he want to come?"

"He wanted to, Daniel. But things don't always turn out the way we plan."

The flash ended the scene lightly on that ominous ending.

"**Instead people end up dying, and we unleash HORRIBLE monsters! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Not as planned.**"

…

Daniel opened the door and entered the peaceful back hall with its odd fountain. The cool water should help with his burn, luckily it was not too bad, a mere first-degree.

"**So, there's a rod up in the study that I need. Does this thing heal the burn that I kind of, sort of stupidly gave myself?**"

_Shut up!_

Daniel moved his hand in the cool water and let his eyes wander over the peculiar structure once more. As he withdrew his hand to dry it, Daniel's eyes latched onto a turned over corpse that was lying on the stone legs; his hands shook at the thought of his burnt hand being in the same water as it.

"**Probably no-…you're new. I'm kind of ashamed for not having noticed you earlier.**"

No one could possibly die so quickly if they stumbled here, and the body was in to well a condition to have been attacked by a monster. With the slightest hope of it being alive, Daniel nudged the figure a few times. As undignified as it was, he noted that with the state of it the thicker the skin he nudged the better, so the best place to nudge was its rear.

"**Slapping that thing's ass sounds like more water.**"

_I was not slapping anything!_

Daniel was naturally flustered; from the state of it he had no idea if it was a man or a woman. Either way, it had to be deceased.

"**Well, we now have a drowned corpse in the, uh, fountain. Charming.**"

Daniel hurried up the stairs to the upper level and saw the torso from before lying in front of the guest room door before moving to the study's door.

"**And that's the body part that I saw earlier. That's the guest room. Study! If I can get that elevator working, I'll be happy. Cause you know, it feels like the elevator is a good chunk of the journey, although I'm probably way off and there's probably like a thousand more things I need to do.**"

_I'd much prefer things to be over shortly after this._

The hallway past the door was foreign to Daniel once more; the layout had escaped his memory so he needed to simply guess now. Instead, Daniel saw small visions of the orb in his mind like before. For such a peaceful area, he felt just as frightened and downtrodden.

"**I even remember like, where I've been here. But I need to find like a-**"

"The flicker, the bluish light…"

Daniel's voice sounded distant to him, it had been so long since he had actually spoken. He looked about himself and saw that it had caused no immediate consequences; it had even silenced Lani.

"**Am, am I not the only one here talking to myself, Daniel? Kind of confused me there.**"

It was good to know Lani could hear him, but Daniel did not want to speak to that man. He knew as much as Daniel did about this place and he would probably not help him in the least. Whatever the reason, Daniel felt detached from this world, like he was in limbo, and he did not want to ruin this short peace by making Lani speak more than he normally would. The light from the windows seemed blue thanks to the glass, so Daniel strolled over to them.

"**The flicker, the bluish light! You see it Daniel? You see the flicker?**"

_I would speak to shut you up if it were possible._

"**Hey, paper.**"

Daniel let the voice be and read the note to himself while Lani read aloud in another dramatic voice. Lani's voice sounded airy and quieter than usual, so Daniel's reading would not be hindered. Of course, knowing Lani, the dramatic reading would become mumbles very soon.

Letter Regarding the Discovery of an Orb

To my most trusted student and friend Johann Weyer.

_It's pronounced like 'V-eye-r', not 'Way-r'. Honestly, if you can read German why can't you pronounce a man's last name correctly?_

"**Weyer, possibly 'V-eye-r'. I'm going with 'V-eye-r', this being German and all.**"

Daniel inwardly sighed.

The most remarkable thing happened as I was traveling through the Prussian woods this summer. I finally found one of the orbs I have been looking for the last twenty odd years. It is as inexplicable as the Heliodromus described it in the Hortus Conclusus. It was as it was told about, an underground Mithraic temple crowned with the unearthly artifact.

"**Gah, words.**"

The orb was big enough to fill my cupped hands and the texture was smooth and jagged –

"**Ok now it feels like I'm reading porn.**"

_You perverted arse, this is serious!_

its color washed while rich. Contrast is not enough to describe its nature. It was an impossibility, an artificial paradox captured within stone.

I was staying in a nearby village called Altstadt, investigating one of the antiquated trails, when I finally found the cavern. I went inside and suddenly I could verify the truth of these enigmatic artifacts - they were real.

As you can understand, this is the most important discovery of my life, but it has also become my greatest fear. As I entered the underground chamber I could feel that I was trespassing. Because of my curiosity I did my best to fight these instincts and fetched the orb from its place. I scrambled out of the chamber and into the woods. I could sense something was following me, it bayed loudly as it closed in. The beast, this guardian of the orb, was relentless in its pursuit.

I made my way to a nearby ravine where I stumbled upon some men fishing in the lake.

"**Yeah this isn't going to end well for them I'm guessing.**"

I tried to warn them as I passed, but fortunately they remained as I continued my escape. When I heard their cry of pain echo through the valley, I felt such a tremendous sense of relief, thinking I would be spared

"**You're a dick.**"

Suddenly a blue shimmering light engulfed me and the colors of the forest were washed away before my eyes. I kept running through the bleak surroundings, the trees had turned charcoal

"**It's like Terminator 2 in that daydream**."

black with leaves of cinder, the ground covered in murky water. I pressed on through the drenched land as the glowing ember gave way to the rising wind and rained on me. I could hear pleading screams in the distance and I joined in as pain and fear overtook me. I fell to the ground gasping for air.

This certainly must sound strange, but I had been carried miles away across the Alps to a grassy field outside Genoa. The guardian had taken the orb from me, but still until this day I fear its return. Sometimes I lay awake at night listening for the howling cry I heard in the forest. It has been nearly a decade since that day and I still haven't been able to write about the incident.

The last time we spoke you told me about your interest and ongoing research into the mythic orbs and I realized I owed you the truth about my visit to Altstadt.

Your friend and mentor,

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa.

"**Ok.**"

While rather lengthy, the story was interesting and compelling given Daniel's current state. It was not exactly useful though, or at least not yet it was not. Daniel continued through the halls in search of the final rod

"**Now we need to find a way to get to the uh…inner study.**"

Across the open area Daniel saw the window he had broken earlier and went to inspect it once more. Each window had a rather large ledge of stone on the outside of it; another curious design.

"**Does this lead to it? Can I, can I uh, follow the window beams out here? Maybe, I might try that.**"

Daniel refused to do that unless absolutely necessary. He was already burned; he did not need to fall to his death.

"**If it doesn't sound completely retarded, which it kind of does to me honestly.**"

Past the open area was a hallway blocked by more boulders, and unlike last time he had no explosives. The inner study was obviously beyond it, which meant that Daniel would have to use the ledges of the windows as Lani suggested.

"**I only have six tinder left, and I can't roll all those out of the way. Maybe I'll look around in here one more time.**"

In obvious distress, Daniel entered the room where the dog had been killed in hopes he had over looked a rod in there.

"**I mean I've been here before, yes…. You know I'm just getting the feeling that the uh…machine part wouldn't necessarily be up here. You know? I mean why would it?**"

No matter what he knew Daniel would put off jumping from window to window for as long as he could; even if he was using his time to move hammers, illustrations of skulls, and stuffed, dead animals instead. There was no rod in this room so Daniel moved into the attached study; he hoped it was the inner study.

"**Somebody moved my bunny!**"

_Honestly Lani, it's a dead rabbit, why does it amuse you so much._

Daniel knew the desk was the usual place for hidden objects, so he went to the skull filled desk and began moving the bones away.

"**They didn't repack away the skulls though. Maybe it's back here. Behind these guys.**"

The first skull Daniel moved made a distinct thud sound when he dropped it. He wondered why it was so heavy when they felt so light. As a test, Daniel threw one up to see the effects.

"**Wow that was a heavy skull. Wee!**"

It made a louder thud. Daniel was perplexed but also growing desperate as he saw no rod yet. He continued throwing the skulls and bones aside in panic.

"**I am disrespectful.**"

There was nothing, the ledges were quickly becoming Daniel's only option.

"**Yeah it's not back there unless it's one of these femurs. Or are those tibias? I don't know. Uhh, come on Daniel, there's got to be something here.**"

_I'm trying!_

Daniel was growing more and more anxious each second as he searched the room. The bookcases held only books and there was nothing but bones lying around him. Alexander's portrait seemed to stare down at Daniel in a cold malevolence.

"**Alexander, you bastard, where are you keeping that rod!**"

The entire room was useless. Daniel left feeling Alexander taunting him even though he was almost certain Alexander did not even know Daniel wanted him dead. In all fairness, Daniel did not even know why he had to die, but if he had set this up he must have hated him greatly enough that this was necessary.

"**Inner study….**"

As Daniel approached the broken window the wind howled.

_Perfect, wind. That'll be helpful._

He was less than excited. With a deep breathe Daniel climbed out onto the first ledge.

"**Ok, we're trying this the stupid way.**"

As he nudged into position, dogs barked in the distance. Daniel did not know if he was receiving more noises from those beyond the grave, or if dogs were actually far down below waiting for him to fall and become their meal.

"**Afraid of heights Daniel?**"

_Very._

With every ounce of courage he could muster, Daniel made his first jump as Lani grunted for him. He figured things would be less frightening if he did it quickly, so Daniel jumped the next three without stopping. When he landed on the third-to-last ledge, Daniel heard the cracking and falling of a tree almost as tall as the ledges and shook unbearably as he drew panicked breaths yet again. He jumped to the next ledge hurriedly and nearly had a heart attack when he nearly jumped right over it and to his death. Quickly, he backed onto the middle of the ledge.

"**You're outside you pussy.**"

Complaining would only distract him, so Daniel stopped his thoughts and made his last jump. The final ledge was outside a windowless room that Daniel clambered inside of.

"**There we go! Of course the stupid way is the right way, why wouldn't it be?**"

Across the room was a desk, of course, and atop it was another large cylinder with a blue glass or gem on top of it.

"**Oh joy, another one of these blinding things.**"

Daniel prepared himself for the bright light that came with it and reached for the cylinder. The bright light took over Daniel's entire sense of sight as he waited for Lani to read.

"**Ha-ha! I was ready for you that time!**"

_Just read it, my eyes hurt._

Lani whined in the whiniest voice Daniel had ever heard.

"**When will it be my turn? Have I not shown restraint? My patience spans centuries, and from where I came, mankind is not even wasted a breathe, yet I bow to you! I have done so much for you and I have gained nothing in return. Agrippa, I trusted you. It was I who in all fairness should have entered that gate!**"

_A gate?_

"**And that is what I call a dramatic reading. Thank you, thank you.**"

Daniel nodded his head to handle the sudden change of vision from the bright light before searching the desk.

"**Uh cog…cogs…more cogs. So obvious it's here somewhere. Might as well refill this lantern oil first, cause I just picked up a new one.**"

Lani sounded happy at the notion just as Daniel was; he had been running somewhat low on oil and gleefully refilled his lantern. Daniel looked at the two rods he had collected in his satchel; they were making things harder given their odd shape and refusal to stay put.

"**Do I combine these? No I don't, ok. Just making sure, just making sure. I still have a hand drill though. In case uh…in case one of those will ever come in handy.**"

Daniel explored the second room with his lantern and found numerous hammers, clamps of some sort, and blades alongside a bookshelf. Across the room were more cogs and the final rod laying on a table, and also a note that he read first.

"**Let's read this.**"

Elevator Machine Instructions

If the elevator breaks down again, make sure to use the steam engine to build up pressure before channeling it into the machinery.

Adjust the levers to get the right amount of pressure inside the chamber. The meters should read: Up 8 & Down 8.

"**Ok.**"

Make sure the flow is set according to the following chart:

- Trinity Steam Set Functions

- Four-phase Amplitude

- Complete Steam Flow Cycle

Note that the machine will not check proper configuration until all rods are inserted.

Daniel tucked the note away into the pages of his journal and slipped the rod into the satchel with the others, feeling a great sense of relief now that he had them all. To be certain he would have no need to ever return here, Daniel went out the door into the hallway. There was the other end of the cave in and an unlocked box that held two tinder boxes.

"**Hey a chest; it's my lucky day! More tinder. Lantern oil'd be appreciated, but tinder's good. I like tinder. HEY!**"

In the second room was one of the barrels that always held a bit of lantern oil.

_Ask and you shall sometimes receive I see._

Daniel put out his lantern and filled it with all that was available.

"**Everybody loves me!**"

_I don't even like you._

"**Except-**"

The first room Daniel had just reentered was filled with unidentifiable whispers and sounds.

"**Except the other voices in Daniel's head.**"

_Considering you mocked the woman while she was in pain and every flashback is laughed at, yes, I would say we all hate you. Please leave now._

Daniel jumped back to the first window as Lani rambled on.

"**See that's kind of the relationship I've built here with Daniel. I am no longer Daniel.**"

_YOU NEVER WERE ME!_

Another tree collapsed when Daniel made his first jump, but this time he remained in control. Perhaps yelling at Lani was good for his sanity and health?

"**Ok now the demons are lumberjacks.**"

_How do you even-never mind!_

Daniel continued jumping.

"**Come on Daniel, one more. One more. Climb on in, there you go boy.**"

The castle interior never seemed more beautiful than after jumping at an unknown height.

"**See I am no longer, like, I don't associate Daniel so much as I believe I'm kind of a dissociative…identity created from his…stupid little self-induced amnesia thing.**"

_I know you're a dissociative voice, now stop mocking me!_

Daniel returned to the back hall hoping that nothing else had changed while he was gone.

"**It just makes me happier.**"

The castle shook once Daniel was back out; he gasped and whimpered as he leaned himself against the door for stability as his vision blurred and the back hall was shrouded in hellish colors.

"**Does this mean I get um…more of that crappy puss stuff?**"

Daniel stumbled to the edge of the balcony and looked down to see the red flesh covering parts of the ground below.

"**Yep, there it is! Giant puss bubble, right there. Op, and there!**"

The stairs were left uncovered, thankfully, and Daniel evened himself back out to go down them.

"**Aw man it hasn't eaten my fountain has it?**"

While the fountain was already ruined by the corpse, Daniel went to see it so Lani would not pester him with questions about it later. The water had become blood as one flesh bubble pulsed inside it; the corpse remained where it had been.

_How does all of this keep happening? What's doing all of this?_

"**AWWW! My poor fountain! …it's breathing!**"

_I highly doubt that's the fountain, it's probably something about the flesh bubbles and it pulsing in and out of the blood._

Daniel found it hard to believe how calm he was becoming about such matters.

"**I mean I guess this place technically wasn't mine to begin with…but hey, what'cha gonna do?**"

'Fix the elevator' came to Daniel's mind, and so he set off to do so. The castle grew increasingly ominous with each step. Lani sighed.

"**All right Daniel, let's get this piece of shit working. Now that we have everything we need….**"

One turn to the left and Daniel was prepared to be done with this monster infested level of the castle.

"**You know it's funny, I don't think in all of this time I've even checked the elevator, I just know it's broken.**"

…_you must be joking._

"**Because it's giving me all this shit to do.**"

Daniel would have flown into a rage if he had not already known the elevator had to be broken. He had been here before and he saw where the rods would have to be; if the elevator was not broken it would be nothing short of a miracle.

"**That, you know, and the machines in the actual machine room aren't working…. Now this is where there's going to be like thirty or forty monsters down here.**"

_Th-thirty or f-forty?_

Those numbers had never sounded so large or nearly that threatening, but when granted to monsters it was impossible to not be afraid. The first open door looked safe and inviting, but even if it did not Daniel needed to go there to properly fix the elevator.

"**All right let's see, there were a couple of switches back here.**"

Lighting his lantern, Daniel saw the levers on the back wall clear as day.

"**Now what was it? Up eight, down eight? Ok so I need to do…math.**"

_It is a simple problem, all you have to do is add and use a slight bit of logic._

Daniel put out his lantern and retreated to the candle on the room's single table to think the numbers over.

"**And I need to do it from over here…. God damnit.**"

His short term memory was not always the best so Daniel moved back to the levers to remind himself of the numbers.

"**So I need these to add up to eight.**"

Daniel moved the third lever from the right up to give the top half plus-one. He moved the one to its right up as well, totaling it at three now. The one to the left of the original level went up as well to become eight, and as it did, a threatening feeling and sound overcame Daniel. Doing this in darkness was proving to be harmful, so Daniel ran back to the candle for security.

"**Back to the light, Daniel.**"

Daniel shook slightly and looked about the room for what could have made that eerie noise. Just then, Daniel saw an unlit lantern hanging just by the levers. While Daniel wondered how it escaped his sight earlier Lani groaned.

"**God damnit this is going to be-oh there's a lantern.**"

Daniel ran over and quickly lit it; the levers were fully exposed to its light.

"**Ok…I feel silly now.**"

The far right lever went down to add two to the bottom half, and then the far left for one, and the second left to add five more. There was now eight up, and there was eight down. Steam sounded as the machine showed its working self.

"**Hey, what're the odds?**"

_Odds of what? It was an immensely simple calculation._

"**I am a fucking genius!**"

_You didn't do anything!_

"**By this game's standards…. Now where do I put those rods?**"

Daniel gave up on Lani and made his way down the halls in search of the next machine he would have to fix.

"**Like, it's never actually given me a good cause…. Ah, I'm sure it's down there somewhere.**"

Down the stairs Daniel climbed.

"**Just follow the horrible hissing sound.**"

_That would be steam escaping the pipes._

"**It's bound to lead us to glory. Right, Daniel? 'Right Nick!'**"

_Did you just imitate me? And what do you mean 'Nick'? If that's your name why did you refer to yourself as Lani earlier?_

Debating whether or not to speak to Lani, or Nick, was won by the option of not doing so. Speaking to him would prove useless, so Daniel would hold off on it until he was certain that Lani was somehow real, or he was too insane to care. As for his name, Daniel decided to continue calling him Lani; it just seemed right.

"**Ok, now where do these rods go?**"

The room with the incinerator seemed reasonable to check; amazingly the coal had yet to burn out.

"**I mean seriously, where the fuck do the rods go?**"

Daniel pulled the lever to the massive machine that devoured most of the room; it sputtered and the cogs turned, but it stopped shortly in need of more work. The room held no place for the rods and the burner still seemed fine.

"**Ok I got that going…. Gonna check that one last room up here, which is honestly the only place that they can go really. I mean unless I missed something.**"

Daniel ran back upstairs and into the last room he had not checked.

"**I think I've missed something stupidly.**"

_You've said many stupid things, but aside from the fountain corpse and the hanging lantern you have not missed too much._

In the back of the room was the odd machine with three round slots and a shape to designate each: a circle, triangle, and a square.

"**Wait, no, no, nope! Nope, nope! Ok. Um….**"

Having learned his lesson, Daniel lit a lantern that was hanging above him.

"**Circle, square, triangle…uh…let's see…oh! Oh, there's something in my notes about this. I can't remember.**"

Neither could Daniel, so he removed the piece of paper from his journal and read it over once more.

"**Uh…note to self, chemical relocation, oh, elevator room, there we go. Amplitude, flow cycle….**"

Once he was content, Daniel tucked the paper away again and prepared to guess.

"**Ok I guess I just need to uh…oh…um….**"

Out of pure habit, Daniel lit his lantern like he always did to solve a problem. Once his mind caught up with his actions he put it back out.

"**Damnit, wrong button.**"

The yellow rod from the inner study was the first one Daniel removed from his satchel.

"**Flow cycle, I'm going to take a stab that you go in there.**"

Assuming Lani had named it correctly, Daniel inserted the rod into the slot marked by the circle. The four-phase would match the square, and the trinity the triangle; now Daniel only needed to know which rod was which. He removed the blue one in hopes that Lani would announce its name as well.

"**Trinity, odds are you're the triangle.**"

Daniel accepted its name like before and soon took the red rod to go into the square marked slot after placing the blue in its proper location.

"**And four-phase I'm guessing you go there.**"

As the last rod entered more steam was blown from the pipes to notify Daniel he had done things correctly. This news was good, but Daniel could feel the presence of danger looming closer with each move he made.

"Getting closer…somehow…."

"**Daniel, stop talking to yourself. It's not as funny when you do it.**"

_Pardon me if I don't find this mess funny._

Downstairs again, Daniel went to show the fruits of his labor.

"**Ok, now did I do it?**"

_If it works I did it, not you._

Daniel pulled the bulky machine's lever and watched as it came to life and stayed that way.

"**Oh my god it works! Ah, moment of glory!**"

Machinery clanked loudly but to Daniel it sounded like a beautiful choir. The choir was quickly drowned out by the shaking of the castle and growth of the shadow's flesh once Daniel had left the lower room.

"**Immediately tarnished! Immediately tarnished by the hell that is this building.**"

Daniel was careful where he stepped, but every few yards more flesh grew, making it harder to avoid.

"**Can you give me like three seconds of happiness!**"

No more than seven steps later one bubble burst onto Daniel.

"**THE ANSWER IS A RESOUNDING 'NO'! …OW!**"

The new wounds were minor and not worth taking laudanum over, so Daniel left to the back hall to finally use the elevator.

"…**This is going quiet.**"

The second Daniel was out of the machine room there was a sudden pulse amongst the entire castle and his body, his vision went black for a moment before he saw that the entire area had been covered by the flesh of the shadow. Daniel took shaking breaths as the castle calmed; he looked about to search for a safe path, but there was none.

"…**you know what? I'd say that was five seconds but I'm not sure I should count the load time. So no, this game can't give me three seconds of happiness.**"

Lani sighed in frustration.


	6. There's a crap ton of monsters

"**Ok Daniel, let's see what kind of hell we're going to drag ourselves into now.**"

Thankfully avoiding the newly grown flesh, Daniel entered the untouched elevator.

"**And three, two, go.**"

Unsure of the outcome, Daniel pulled the lever to travel further down. The lift clanked as all machinery here did and slowly wobbled into life.

"**Aw, it doesn't even let me experience the trail down? Op! Yeah I do.**"

The elevator slowly inched down as Daniel pondered over Lani's words; as if they ever made sense. The metal cover to the elevator was soon out of sight and all Daniel saw was wood and stone as well as another metal cover-door that would hide plain things such as barrels and boxes.

"**Ok.**"

As the sides of the elevator rubbed against the walls, the entire machine creaked horribly, as if it would give out any moment. It slowed down moments later before Daniel's vision flashed back again. Lani screamed in frustration.

"**AHH! No!**"

Daniel's vision returned and the walls around the elevator were now covered in the red flesh.

"**That was…unnecessary.**"

The elevator shook with the castle and Daniel nearly fell into another panic attack as he barely creaked down.

"**Daniel is panicking.**"

_OF COURSE I AM! THIS ENTIRE LIFT COULD GO SHOOTING DOWN ANY MOMENT!_

The elevator began shooting down. It slid as quickly as it could with the friction of the flesh and walls, Daniel even felt himself float slightly for a little bit. The cable was possibly broken and while Lani screamed and cheered in excitement Daniel attempted to scream only to have his voice constantly knocked out of him become too small to be heard.

"**WOO HEHEHE!** **WOO!**"

The elevator crashed below and for a while Daniel lost all of his senses.

"**Ok, Daniel's dead everybody. Great. …they're not going to be showing that ride at Disney.**"

Daniel could faintly hear Lani's rambles and was convinced he would either be wherever he was, or he was still alive. Sure enough, it was the later. When Daniel came to he could hear the crumbling of stone and see smoke wafting in front of him; he had been thrown from the elevator when it landed, and thankfully so. If he had stayed inside the collapsed stone would have killed him, but now he had no way back up. He shook his head to awaken himself more and to stop his vision from fading in and out before clambering to his feet.

"**Ok. Yadda, yadda, yadda! Come on Daniel, pick yourself up!**"

_I would like to see you get up after that, let alone immediately you ungrateful prat…._

"**It was only a few hundred story drop! And where's that elevator?**"

Daniel turned to see he was correct in his assumptions about the sound; the elevator was completely filled with boulders and was now impossible to use. He would never use it again granted the shadow had taken it over, but it was still a horrible problem for later if he did not die by then.

"**Did I make it out of it? I guess….**"

_If we hadn't we would be dead Lani. Use your common sense for once!_

"**The fuck? Did I die? Like am I actually dead? This probably is hell.**"

The idea of this being the afterlife was not too farfetched given what Daniel had seen; but why would he be in hell? Yes he was on a mission to kill a man, but there must have been good reason, and he had amnesia and was therefore innocent. No fair god, goddess, or gods would punish an innocent. Down the hall was a large door that may have held Daniel's fate, as he approached it, another flash came.

"**Yep, surely, there's a bright light shining and all.**"

The first voice to sound was the baron Alexander's.

"Come-this way."

Groans and cries of weakness and pain sounded before being broken up by Daniel's frightened voice.

"What was that?"

"Forgive me, I should have warned you."

"**I had Taco Bell for lunch!**"

No matter what that place was Daniel was sure Lani's joke was idiotic.

"One of my responsibilities as a baron is that of a prison warden. This is where criminals are locked up."

"**Oh, ho, ho, joy!**"

"Like a dungeon?"

"Very much so. Come - don't linger."

What Daniel assumed to be chains clinked as the flash reappeared and left him like it always did. Rose petals had fallen from above and now formed a trail to the grand door Daniel was walking towards again.

"**Well this is just going to be delightful! Isn't it, Daniel?**"

The lantern blazed into life and the grand door was shown to truly be another door that seemed to belong on a cell; relatively small boulders lay on the floor along with two odd wooden beams that showed no reason for being there. A quick look around and an extinguished lantern later, Daniel walked about the open area in search of anything useful. Now, instead of a crying woman, a man was in his head; not Lani, but a very weak sounding man who was groaning. As if competing for Daniel's attention, Lani groaned back at the voice.

"**Ok so…. You know I'm confused; maybe I actually am dead and…this is hell, and this is where all the bad people go. Uh, you know super hell.**"

Daniel rolled the largest of the boulders out of the way when he returned to the doorway. He thought he heard another strange noise around him and looked back; having found nothing he resumed clearing the path.

"**Kay. Let's just move these things out of the way here**"

The wooden support beams were usually the biggest hassle so Daniel attempted to slide the first one away instead of lifting it.

"**Wow Daniel, you're moving this thing like it's no problem. And you can't take a monster? Come on.**"

_A support beam doesn't have claws or fight back._

"**Let's see, what else is in the way? Just this one. Come on, slide it down Daniel, just move it. There we go, yup. Just sliding everything away. Ok.**"

Daniel was tempted to smash his head against one of the boulders if Lani pretended to be doing any actual work again.

"**And now into the horrible hell dungeon we go. Let's see if I can throw this….**"

The final small boulder Daniel threw in frustration, wishing it was Lani, or at least his head.

"**WOO!**"

_I must be losing myself, but that was an immense relief…._

"**Wow…I got some decent distance on that, all things considered.**"

Daniel opened the barred door and proceeded inwards. The rats squeaked while remaining hidden somewhere.

"**Squeak, squeak.**"

Daniel moved to light a torch on the wall, but as he readied his tinder a groan like sound came from around him. The walls gave haunting moans and Daniel backed away in horror, shuddering as the sounds grew and finding it difficult to breathe as he usually did during these scenes. As he drew closer to the door, now looking about in fear and panic, moans and cries of pain mixed with the sounds of moving chains and torture devices. Every voice and machine ever used down here created a choir in Daniel's head as if to emphasize just what had happened, and just what might have been his doing. The torch seemed his only hope, so Daniel lit it in hopes the light would drive the sounds away.

"**WHAT YOU DO DANIEL?**"

_I DON'T KNOW!_

The sounds and the building calmed down slowly and resumed silence as Daniel's head began pounding. Soon Daniel's shaky breathes and the crackles of the torch's flame were the only sounds left.

"**What'd you do?**"

Daniel lit his lantern and searched down the side that did not initiate the mass haunting. The left side was a short few steps with three barrels and nothing of use. There was a torch Daniel thought about lighting for a place to run to, but his tinder supply was dwindling and the one he had already lit would suffice.

"**I got five, I gotta conserve these now.**"

Rather than go down the right and begin anything else, Daniel stayed in front of the door and thought of moving a pile of small boulders that had gathered at the bottom of the wall before the thought of the room falling atop him hindered his actions.

"**See if I can move these out of the way…nothing doing. Let's see how I'm doing on lantern oil. I'm pretty good on oil.**"

Daniel had a near full lantern, but only one vial to refill it if need be. Regardless of how low his supply might have been the corridor was too dark to travel without light, especially after the episode he had just had.

"**So let's keep moving Daniel.**"

The paths of this area were certainly dark, but they were also very calm. This only served to make them even more ominous and threatening to Daniel though. Shortly in he noticed the numerous possible paths to choose from.

_Oh joy, a maze._

This was not exactly what one would desire in a castle that seemed to want them dead more than anything. A few turns later Daniel found his first cell which held a bed with no form of mattress, a chair tilted against it, and a hammer beneath it which Daniel quickly collected.

"**What do we have here? A hammer! Haha! Now we can kick some ass, Daniel!**"

_I highly doubt this will be of use against those beasts with claws like iron._

Daniel searched for any other tools available but found none. A candle was lit on the ground and Daniel huddled to it for comfort as the voices resumes their cries and groans.

"**Something burst through here? Let's regain your sanity a little. How're you doing on that actually? Aw, of course it is. Of course you're just terrified beyond all hell.**"

_I am running low on light sources, have no known way back up, have demons from hell chasing after me-including an entity known as the shadow, am in a bloody dark maze filled with prisoners cries, and I have you spouting out nonsense in my mind so yes, I am bloody terrified!_

"**Sitting around here in a dungeon…yep…charming…. Ugh, you know we traded the crying of a woman…for the tortured pain of other people…. I'm not saying that it's an upgrade, but it's slightly less annoying.**"

_You have no heart or soul to you._

"**Are those cockroaches or are those those rats I keep hearing? Cause rats are adorable. Nope, hissing cockroaches.**"

Sure enough, more of the roaches were moving along the ground near Daniel and his candle. For Daniel, this was reason enough for him to leave.

"**Cockroaches're not nearly as adorable as rats. Cockroaches are all scaly and crap.**"

Directly across the hall was an unlocked cell, also devoid of any occupants. Daniel could not understand why he had seen no one; surely not all of the prisoners could be dead.

"This shouldn't be..."

"**Lantern oil! What d'you mean this shouldn't be? We got lantern oil out of this Daniel.**"

_And I'm very grateful, but that also raises the question of why lantern oil would be in a prison cell!_

"**Shut your fucking me'yap.**"

_How I loathe you…._

"**YALALOOB!**"

…_._

A few steps away from the cells jolted Daniel with loud crashing sounds and the returned shaking of the castle.

_WHY MUST EVERYTHING MOVE?_

Daniel ran into one of the empty cells and shut the door under the impression that he had heard a monster; though with the collection of sounds it was rather hard to tell.

"**Don't worry Daniel, you're in prison, nothing can get you in here.**"

There was no room or time for retorts as Daniel panted in fear with his head pounding, filling his ears with sound. This was the worst part of this castle yet; it was possibly worse than the water, because at least there he was safe on boxes. Now he was in a maze with the land beasts that could beat their way into any room they pleased. Water seemed nice in comparison. In his panic, Daniel had entered the cell without the lit candle, so he drew his lantern to calm himself, being sure to back into a corner. His oil was still low for this journey, and the sounds had stopped, so Daniel risked leaving his cell. He stared down the dark path that caused it all before turning around and going the opposite direction.

"**So should we not go that way I guess? Let's not go that way. Cause that's the way that leads towards doom I guess.**"

After a while of a single path Daniel was given three options of direction, one of which held stairs for a higher area. While he would doubtlessly need to go further down in order to reach the inner sanctum, going up seemed very welcoming to Daniel.

"**Let's go up the stairs.**"

His breath was still shaky of course, and after he had ascended the first few steps with his burning lantern that monstrous warning sound came from above. Something was barely caught in the lantern's light, a leg probably, but Daniel held no desire to investigate it further and ran backwards, putting out his lantern.

"**Oh God damnit.**"

As the sounds grew louder and stranger and Daniel mind seemed to melt he stumbled his way through the darkness in search of safety. There was faint light that he assumed to be the candle from the cell earlier and a torch in the distance. Daniel lit his lantern and believed he was correct, though God only knew how much of this dungeon looked the same. The cell to his left was indeed the one he had hid in before, and he hid there again seeing as it served him well the first time.

"**Back in your prison cell Daniel. Apparently nothing likes it when you move.**"

This seemed far too true for Daniel's liking. The simple act of walking had started so many incidents he had no idea what to do; it was as if everything went wrong the moment he was able to advance.

"**It wasn't coming this way. Unless it decided to follow me.**"

Drawing shaky breaths and nothing but, Daniel looked out the barred window of the cell for any sign of the beast, even jumping for a wider range of view. He saw nothing but drew back to a corner anyway, taking his time to look over the room once more. Lani gave a gruff sigh.

"**I can just tell that trying to get through this part is going to be up-seemly annoying.**"

Daniel knew it would be a challenge, but sitting here burning lantern oil did him no good. He opened the door to hear no threating sounds but only the echo of the creaking door and his panting breath.

"**Ya' there? No. Come on Daniel, let's stand in the light for a bit.**"

A moment passed before he left to the second cell that held the lit candle. Daniel's brain felt as if it were melted wax and his body was a disconnected puppet. This castle was not his friend, none of it was.

"**OH! Oh ho that's charming, an elipses.**"

A rat or two squeaked somewhere and in Daniel's vision the furniture of the room had taken on a shade of red as his ears suffered a constant pounding. The candle seemed far away so Daniel crouched to be with it.

"**Get your vision back to normal, just stare at the light Daniel. The light is your friend, the light is you friend!**"

Lani seemed to chant the bit about the light and Daniel felt drawn to the flame. Each syllable drew him closer to the beauty of the candle.

"**But don't touch it cause we learned our lesson last time.**"

The small burn of Daniel's hand slightly tingled and itched and Daniel made sure to keep his hands away from the lovely flame. Lani seemed in a great hurry while Daniel was content to stay by this candle forever; even Lani's speech was hurried out in his next bit of speech.

"**How's your sanity doing? Still an ellipses, perfect. This game is not going to be my friend in this area.**"

Daniel's mashed mind grew bored and he took hold of a chained cuff that hung from the wall beside him before dropping it again for some sort of amusement

"**Clank. At least it gives me shit to play with….**"

The candle burned in Daniel's vision as time once again passed on for unknown amounts of time. It might have been minutes or it might have been hours, but whatever the case Daniel mind slowly solidified. His insanity was replaced with crippling fear just as before, and it offered him little reason to stay and wait for his full sanity.

"**Ok, just gave Daniel a little bit of time to recover there. How much have we done Daniel? Head pounding, hard shaking, that's much better than ellipses! I assume….**"

Daniel never quite understood what ellipses had to do with his sanity, but his head was indeed pounding and at least his hands were shaking.

"**Now…what to do? Let's see.**"

Enough time had passed for the monster to come and go, Daniel was sure of that much, so he lit his lantern and left the cell of doomed protection.

"**Start by looking around.**"

Without deterrence, Daniel made his way back to where the path split.

"**Now there was a monster up at the top there, so we're gonna check down here first.**"

Daniel was in full agreement with Lani, amazingly. He ran his way down the path with his lantern to save whatever oil he had left.

"**And we're gonna run! Cause I don't like burning lantern oil even though I'm a-AY!**"

After slowing down to catch his breath, Daniel saw a tinder box standing in the middle of the path. It was strange, but convenient, so he happily collected it.

"**Certainly are giving me a lot of tinder though.**"

A new cell was to Daniel's side and he decided to check it for any hidden goods as well. On the ground scampered at least two of the rats that he had heard for so long.

"**OH MY GOD I FINALLY FOUND THE RATTY-RATS! Look at 'em! Look at 'em!**"

Daniel followed them thinking they might show him to something useful, or at least that the guaranteed safety with animal instincts. But Lani spouting baby-talk and excitement seemed very foreign; he had only used baby-talk in mocking before, but now he was genuinely happy.

"**Hey, hey there little guy! My God you're terribly animated! See, those are much cuter than cockroaches, they're all fluffy and stuff.**"

The two rats were crowded against the wall so Daniel left them to where a third rat was exploring. There was a chair on its side and a tinderbox waiting for him.

"**And they show me tinder, you guys are adorable!**"

_Why is it you only seem humane when addressing rats?_

"**But I can't linger for too long or else my lantern oil will burn up.**"

Daniel ran away from the cell with growing hatred for Lani; the man treated the rats better than he did Daniel. At the end of one path sounded a loud groan of a tortured man and just overhead a large crack shed light from an unknown source; though it seemed like sunlight.

"**Oh quit your bitching!**"

_You just coddled a bunch of rodents and now you're yelling at a more than likely deceased man for sounds of pain! Where do you get the gall to call me the evil one!_

"**Where is that light coming from?**"

Daniel inwardly groaned and went to his right. There were stairs again, but he didn't think they were the ones from before. He easily reached the top without disturbance and even managed to light a torch for him to stand by.

"**Let's see…. Now that I'm actually getting some tinder I should probably light it, y'know? How's my lantern oil?**"

Daniel checked. About a fourth of his lantern was full and he had two more jars. This was not very good, but it could be far worse. One jar was emptied into the lantern, and the second rested for future use.

"**Not that great, uh, this is gonna be hell.**"

Reluctantly, the lantern was lit and Daniel pressed onwards with the tortured sounds of prisoners haunting him.

"**Let's see….**"

This higher level held more doors and probably more cells; Daniel entered the first one he saw.

"**Anything in here?**"

There was a short path, a left turn, and one end of a cave in surrounding a tinderbox.

"**Hey, more tinder.**"

Daniel reached for it and the theory of everything hating it when he moves proved itself again. The collection of boulders spat dust at him as the ground shook for quite possibly the hundredth time.

"**And a breathing rock.**"

Daniel was growing more annoyed with the dust and shaking, but at least it ended quickly. He collected the tinderbox and spotted a lovely vial of laudanum next to it, which he promptly collected as well.

"**And laudanum! In case I get my ass handed to me. Man, I have enough laudanum to fuck Daniel right up!**'

Daniel ran along the paths as he pondered what Lani meant. Laudanum was a wonderful pain killer, even if it did make him a bit dizzy. The path ended with a barred door shut closed with a padlock. A torch burned clearly in the distance beyond it.

"**And anything in here?**"

Figuring it was worth the attempt, Daniel shook the door only to discover the robust padlock was in good shape. The noise of the door prompted the sound of a monster as well as more sounds of torture. Near the torch in the distance crossed the beast he had heard, and Daniel watched in fear.

"**Hey, hey you! HEY! Hey, come open this door!**"

Daniel was not convinced he needed to use that door that badly, so he quickly headed the other direction.

"**You know, all these times these monsters have always, like, y'know, wanted to kill me.**"

_I know that far too well._

"**And now, that one just can't help but get away from me.**"

_Take it as a blessing._

"**What an asshole.**"

Daniel lit a torch and put out his lantern so he could rest a brief moment. At the bottom of the opposite wall was an opening shaped as half a circle and with bars blocking it off. Daniel peered down it but could see nothing.

"**Anything in there?**"

He lit his lantern to try again but there was still nothing.

"**I don't know…. Whatever, let's just keep moving Daniel.**"

There was no better option so Daniel obliged. He entered an upper level cell with a fully metal door. The ground was home to more rats and Daniel felt an irk, knowing how Lani would react.

"**Let's check in here-**"

Lani happily gasped.

"**More ratty-rats! Hi babies!**"

Daniel was greatly annoyed but occupied himself with collecting.

"**Did you find me tinder? And lantern oil! You guys are saviors! God bless the rats!**"

Leaving that cell was a relief in its self. Daniel was not completely sure as to why, but Lani's kind treatment of the rats angered him more than the mysterious Alexander currently did. Granted, Daniel knew nothing about Alexander right now other than he did something wrong to him, but it still upset him.

"**Let's check in here.**"

It was another metal door and more damaged furniture. This cell, however, also housed a flash back.

"**Ok. That is getting extremely old.**"

Daniel put his lantern out and stood by a lit candle as the voice of a young girl sounded.

"But mother, I don't want to leave without you."

"Hurry child-you must go. Find Gabriel the outrider-"

"**He is the hero of all!**"

"-and tell him to alert the king's men."

"No, you come too!"

"**Please, we must rescue Humpty Dumpty!**"

"Please, we don't have time to make the hole any wider."

"But-!"

"Someone is coming. Hurry! I'll cover the hole with the bed. Everything will be fine-I promise."

Daniel's skin crawled with every line, despite Lani's blatant disrespect. The mother and child were sobbing each sentence, they were terrified, and Daniel knew that whoever was coming would do horrible things when they saw the girl was gone. It must be Alexander, this must be part of why he is going to these great lengths to kill him.

"**And three, two, one: covering eyes!**"

The flash signaled the tale's end and Daniel approached the bed.

"**Ok, so….**"

Surely the hole must still be there. Daniel pulled the bed aside as Lani groaned n mock effort. Lani seemed to do everything in mock. There was indeed a hole still, and Daniel lit his lantern to get a better look.

"**Ha, ha! Suck it game!**"

The hole was too thin for him, at least too thin for him to use without hurting himself.

"**But, I figure there's probably more to explore here and more to find. So we'll get back to that.**"

Down the hall was another metal door. Daniel pulled on it, but it was locked. Upon closer inspection he saw that the lock was very corroded and weak and Daniel made a quick note in his journal. Lani mumbled what he had written.

"**It's locked. However, the lock is very corroded and weak. Ok.**"

The next door opened as easily as most had, and it held the same disheveled furniture as most did. There was the base of a bed on its side, a knocked over chair, parts of a broken chair, and an end table in a corner upon which rested another candle that had melted itself to it and was luckily left lit. Finding pre-lit candles usually meant a flashback was coming, so Daniel put out his lantern and stepped toward the candle in preparation. Sure enough, there was a flash.

"**What's in here? Ow!**"

What Daniel heard made his skin crawl. The angry voice, no doubt speaking of the escaped girl, was not Alexander's. It was his own.

"Where is she? Where did she go?"

"**Daniel?**"

"No, I won't tell. I'll never tell you."

"**Oh my God!**"

The woman was weeping, and for good reason. Daniel's heart ached more than his head, but his mind still was not safe. Red blur fell in front of him, he thought of them as blood before realizing they were rose petals.

"You are just making things worse. Look-this is no place for a young girl all by herself. She could be hurt or worse. There is no telling what horrors await down there."

The horrors Daniel had already witnessed ran through his mind with the image of a young and frightened girl trying to handle them. Each scene was awful, and Daniel could slowly contort his mind to justify his past self. He was protecting the girl, surely. It was safer here than out in the castle, his past self was doing the right thing. The girl was the one in the wrong; she had signed away her own life the moment she left. She deserved it. The flash appeared and left; the rose petals stopped falling.

"**Ok…. So, my growing suspicion that Daniel is actually an evil bastard…kinda coming to fruition.**"

_I am not evil…she deserved it…._

Daniel was more than out of his mind, and he occupied himself as always. Nothing new had happened. Nothing was different. Daniel picked up a chipper that was left here for some reason and went along his un-merry way.

"**All right I picked up a chipper…OO! I know! Combine that shit with the hammer.**"

With the concept of a hammer and chisel being lost to amnesia, Daniel was impressed by Lani's idea, not that he was impressed with Lani himself.

"**Yeah, there we go!**"

He was in fact thoroughly unimpressed. The idea was good though, and Daniel used the tools to break the weak lock from before.

"**WA-BAM!**"

Thoroughly. Inside the room was another knocked over chair, a skull with two unknown bones-probably femurs, and a standing container of oil.

"**LANTERN OIL!**"

Daniel headed for the container as he felt a shiver. It had been too long since he had encountered something…nasty. He had just progressed and nothing had happened. It was safe, far too safe.

"Someone's coming!"

"**Someone's coming?**"

Daniel shut the door and slowly moved back in renewed terror. He could have sworn he had heard footsteps as he lumbered about the room.

"**Whatever.**"

Of course Lani did not understand; he never did. Filling his lantern was all he could do right now.

"**Let's see how much we got now.**"

The lantern was almost a third full and Daniel still had two jars left.

"**Oh we are cooking, we are cooking, Daniel.**"

The assured light comforted Daniel, and he felt confident enough to leave the room.

"**And by 'we are cooking' I mean I'm going to put you in the flames of hell where you belong if you are indeed the evil prick I think you are.**"

Daniel's confidence was lost instantly. In the hall he had been walking down while listening to that threat he found a chair that was not only still standing upright, but held a jar of lantern oil for him. Daniel gladly took it before moving on.

"**Now…let's see here.**"

The cries of the woman from much earlier echoed as Daniel went downstairs.

"**This is where I came from, which means there's nothing for me here. And that's where the hellish hell-beast is.**"

Daniel ran back upstairs to safety.

"**So, our option, and I use the term option quite loosely-**"

After retracing his steps at a run, Daniel lit a torch on one of the walls for him to stop and plan by. The moment he lit it though, a large gust of wind blew at him and took out the flame.

"**HEY, I JUST LIT THAT, ASSHOLE!**"

Angered by the waste of tinder, Daniel carried on as the rats squeaked.

"**Fuck you! …Whatever.**"

Daniel hated this place, and the tunnel the girl and mother had made seemed the best way out. He returned to their cell and noted once more that the hole as it was is too narrow.

"**We go this way. Ok, I get it.**"

Finding them impressive tools, Daniel used the hammer and chipper to widen the hole enough for him to enter it.

"**Ba-bang! See, so I would have had to do that anyway. Now there's a giant hole for me.**"

Eager to leave, Daniel jumped down the hole.

"**Good luck getting back, Daniel!**"

The walls of the tunnel shook slightly around Daniel and he feared that it may cave in around him. It was actually impressive that it had not already done so with the number of quakes the castle had seen.

"**Recording now. Ok, let's see…not sure which way I'm supposed to be going here, let's go this way….**"

The tunnel was wide in places while narrow in others, in his confusion and desperation to escape the tight space Daniel returned to where he had entered.

"**Nope, that's the way I came from.**"

Risking a cave in was better than risking monster attacks-Daniel hoped so anyway, and he returned to traveling the tunnel.

"**All right, let's see where this…man they must have had a lot of time t-**"

There was a split, one tunnel to the left, and one to the right.

"**Fuck, fork. Um…going this way.**"

Right is always right usually failed, so Daniel went to the left.

"**Must have had a lot of time on their hands to dig this thing.**"

_Wasting time. If they had widened the top both could have escaped instead of just the girl, both of them were utter fools. They deserved what they got, especially that girl…._

The path ended at the side of a wall. There were loose boulders blocking it and a torch burning across the room.

"**Great. Black. Cricket.**"

Daniel may have heard that wrong, but it was confusing just the same. He emptied out the boulders, shoving and throwing them. Anger burned over his situation and he needed some way to channel it.

"**Out of the way you. I don't care what I'm startling! Whatever I guess you're just not…worth…moving!**"

The last boulder was rather heavy and had to be rolled out of the way.

"**Out of the way! Ok…let's see what we got here.**"

Daniel left the tunnel and was greeted by darkness the moment he turned a corner.

_Joy._

A sign pointing to the right said 'kitchen' in German…or Prussian. Whatever it was Daniel remembered how to read it. Before deciding to travel there, Daniel checked for a sign for the other direction.

"**Kitchen. The other way is…? Storage.**"

At last, storage, there would be plenty of lantern oil and tinderboxes for the whole journey after he went there. Perhaps Daniel would even find tools better than even the hammer and chipper or his drill.

"**And rats.**"

The cutesy-ness of Lani's voice was disgusting. Before heading to his prizes in storage though, Daniel found it best the search the immediate area.

"**I'm going to go the storage way when I can, but first uh…let's see what's around door number two.**"

The first door was wooden and would not budge when Daniel attempted to open it. That suited him just fine, less to deal with.

"**A door that won't budge.**"

The rest of the area was a barred door that was locked on the other side. This area served no purpose to him for at least now so Daniel left for more promising things.

"**All right. And since the rats were telling me to go this way, we're gonna go this way.**"

As much as the rodents disgusted Daniel now, he was not one to question animal instinct. Around the corner was another set of stairs and the feeling of fear that came with them now. Once near the top of the stairway Daniel neither saw nor heard a monster, but there was a small thud. He hindered briefly before continuing to the top and around a corner. There was a second thud.

"**Hello?**"

Daniel moved forward still after looking around in caution. There was a third thud.

"**Hello?**"

_I highly doubt it will answer you, Lani._

The path split as Daniel knew it would, but while one path was dark and had no visible end, the other was already blocked by boulders yet showered in light from above. Daniel listened to the wind flowing from the dark path before assessing the dead end. He took a step forward and sharply inhaled; he could hear a voice. It was the voice of a man, most likely dying.

"Help me…."

Daniel could not help but back away in horror, he was not sure if this voice was in his head or truly there. There may have been a man trapped, but after all he had heard and seen….

"**Help you? Help yourself asshole.**"

_Yes…real or not he was probably like her…like that girl…they all deserved what they got…._

With the haunting guilt slowly withering, Daniel went down the dark path with his lantern burning faithfully.

"**Let's see….**"

There was a sign that said 'kitchen' pointing back the way Daniel had just came, and a sign reading 'storage' which pointed to the right of a fork in the paths.

"**Yeah that's the way that tells me to go to the kitchen…storage…storage.**"

Thuds came in soft succession now as Daniel made his way towards his room of lantern oil and tinder. Lani sighed as if it were to simply break the silence of an uneventful day.

"**Isn't this just charming, Daniel?**"

Another turn and another sign that read 'storage', but now there was an obstacle. Daniel had just glanced ahead from reading the new sign when he heard the moan of a monster. He could see the silhouetted figure at the end of the hall and he quickly snuffed his lantern with a gasp. Daniel tried to breathe quietly but his panting always seemed loud during these times. For a moment he was still, hoping to draw no attention so long as he was in the dark. Everything around Daniel shifted and pounded and against his better judgment he lit his lantern. Death was better than the darkness right now, and Daniel needed the comfort of the light. Seeing no sign of the monster, Daniel took a hesitant step forward. Alexander spoke. There was no flash, and the voice was clearly in his mind, but Daniel stepped back and listened in fright.

"Is he safe?"

"**Is it safe?**"

"Well, it's for his own good."

Alexander's voice stopped for the time being, and Daniel peered into the cell on his left through the barred windows. Why could he hear Alexander as well? Would he be joining Lani? Whatever the case, Daniel had no control over it. Wanting a safe place to hide, Daniel began to open the door, but the monster growled the moment he touched the door.

"**Aw shit. Let's move Daniel.**"

Daniel was running in a blind panic. He had no sense of where he was going or anything around him. Alexander spoke again.

"Soon it will be ready. Let there be enough time."

Still with so real sense of his location, Daniel hid in the darkness.

"**Can't see you. If I can't see you, you can't hurt me, that's the rule. Right?**"

_Are you five years old? That never works!_

Hiding or not, Daniel needed to know where he was. He lit the lantern as a particularly angry Alexander spoke.

"He escaped? Where is he now?"

Shivers ran down Daniel's spine when the man spoke. Alexander sounded as if he would murder the first thing to cross him. Perhaps if he was out of this area the voices would stop. The chances were slim, but Daniel was willing to risk it and he leaned to see what was down the adjacent path. There was a monster.

"**Let's move Daniel.**"

With the snuffed lantern, Daniel did just that. It was almost pitch black and the monster made its sounds somewhere nearby. Daniel's vision pulsed as he stared at a stone wall, now hoping that Lani's childish theory was true. He could hear his heart pounding as well as some sort of crackling in his ears. The darkness was too much, Daniel was afraid he may never escape it and in his fear he lit the nearby torch. He was a sitting duck in the light but it was well worth it to his utterly insane mind. His vision settled and Lani sighed.

"**Man, Daniel, you sure do know how to piss off the creatures of the night…. I mean, this just ain't even cool, man. You open a door, and all of a sudden it's like: RAWR BLARAWR RAWR!**"

Lani sighed again. Daniel could not help but agree this time. This castle clearly hated him, as did all things inside of it.

"**I bet you're insane again, huh? Yep, just about…oh and look, your lantern oil is…**"

With Lani's reminder, Daniel checked his oil. The lantern was less than a forth full so he quickly added two more, making sure to leave one untouched.

"**Ahh…this is going to be fun…just gonna wait for my eyes to stop doing that whole whoogy-whoogy thing…freaking Daniel.**"

As the light calmed him further, Daniel's situation gradually sunk in. He knew he had to leave this place quickly. He lit his lantern and left down the hall.

"**Let's see if that thing's still there.**"

Luckily nothing seemed to be nearby, so Daniel was able to enter a cell without interruption.

"**It's off doing its own thing now. I guess that's cool. I can respect that.**"

Daniel moved through the cell to an attached point where just by the doorway sat a jar of lantern oil.

"**And it left me some lantern oil. See, what storage would be complete without lantern oil?**"

_We aren't in storage yet._

"**None I say. So what's in here?**"

Seeing nothing else to collect, Daniel left to the cell across the hall. It still struck him as odd that no one was here, it could not be possible that all of the prisoners were dead. No cells were even locked, only a few gates that linked the cell blocks. That girl ran through his mind again, the girl and her mother. The girl, the mother, the crying woman, and all the tortured sounds he had heard. If anyone would have answers it would be the prisoners. But would the girl know? She had run away, she may have been killed or recaptured. But still, she might have known.

"Maybe she knows…."

Lani mocked Daniel with a strange voice like a foolish assistant to a mad scientist.

"**Yes, Daniel, maybe.**"

Daniel ignored Lani's odd behavior as he picked up a tinderbox and prepared to read a note, closing the cell's door as a precaution.

"**Do we have a torch in here? No? Of course I have to use my god damn lantern oil.**"

While Daniel hated reading by lantern light, he saw no other choice.

2nd August 1839

"**Story time!**"

I have arrived at the village of Altstadt. It's a haven in the midst of a vast forest and it's the last stop before my final destination, Castle Brennenburg. It's late in the evening and the outrider, who has been with the coach since Bremen, advised me to wait until morning before I venture further.

"**I have a strange feeling he's fucking my wife.**"

I have arranged for a bed at Der Muhle, the village's only inn, and am now waiting for the sun to rise. I try to sleep, but as I close my eyes I see the men who fell victim in London. My fear and shame forces me to witness the same scenes over and over.

They are dead because of me.

"**Maybe you deserve to die by the hands of these horrible monsters, huh Daniel? You wanna keep bitching about it?**"

_I did not kill them! They died because of the shadow, not me. I'm innocent…. I could never…would never…._

Daniel could not stop the looming guilt now; he was hunted by the shadow and would harm all who got near him; except Lani, sadly. As he walked down the path Daniel saw a sign telling him he was in cell area IV, not that this would serve as much help to him.

"**Cell area four, huh?**"

At the end of the hall was either another or the same sign pointing to the right that read 'Storage'.

"**Storage.**"

Storage should be Daniel's final stop before leaving; something wonderful before returning to the hell that is this castle. He went left instead and quickly annoyed by the squeaks of rats.

"**Ratty-rats are beckoning me.**"

There was hardly a path to the left as it was quickly stopped by a gate. This gate was actually locked, unlike the cells, with a padlock that was in excellent condition.

_To storage it is._

"**Sorry Ratty-rats, gotta go the other way.**"

Daniel was not interrupted by anything, and safely made his way to storage.

_I knew this would be a wonderful place._

He closed himself in and began his search. Immediately he found a box that held two tinderboxes and a jar of oil inside.

_Not much, but a good start._

"**Lantern oil? Tinder? It's Christmas!**"

Daniel actually found himself amused by Lani, as he so rarely was, and continued his search. There were shelves and barrels around him, but so far he was finding nothing else useful. One shelve did hold two more tinder though.

"**Although surely-more tinder! Surely there must be a bigger reason for this place.**"

Whatever it was Daniel was not keen to find out, unless of course it was a way out. Another shelf did not hold oil or tinder, but it held a glass jar that seemed like it might become useful.

"**And a giant…whatever-the-fuck pot. Glass jar…m'kay. What on earth do you do with a glass jar?**"

Daniel pulled out a box to see if there was anything useful behind it, and he grew disappointed and angry as he was discovering just how little storage had to offer. The only part that pleased him now, was the two dead rats he now saw between a shelf and a barrel.

"**What!**"

Daniel lit his lantern to see that it was in fact three dead rats rather than two. Lani suddenly sounded very serious.

"**Daniel. We will avenge those poor creatures.**"

_Oh yes, mock the tortured humans, but jump right in to defend the dead rats! You are quite the swell man, Lani. You are very wonderful indeed, you arse!_

Lani's voice ceased its serious tone, but kept anger for a bit longer.

"**We must find the holy sword, and destroy them all!**"

_WHAT SWORD?_

"**Although I'm just gonna go ahead and blame Alexander cause I assume he's the one thing in this we can actually kill.**"

Daniel wanted nothing more than to hit Lani. Storage had proven almost useless to him and the only life Lani cared anything about was that of those infernal rats. Seeing as Lani was merely a voice and Daniel could do nothing to him, his only option was to leave and hope Lani would eventually be gone. Down the halls and back up the stairs, of course a monster roared.

"**God damnit all to hell! Motherfuckers.**"

Daniel felt equally annoyed, but of course his annoyance was mixed with fear. Storage at least provided him with a place to hide.

"**Can I just be left alone? Like seriously! WHAT REASON, do they have-? Like, ok, I guess we kind of established that Daniel's probably an evil bastard.**"

_I AM NOT!_

"**But…to chase **_**me**_** like this, what have **_**I**_** done?**"

_Are you fucking kidding me?_

"**I am but a simple figment of Daniel's imagination in this case.**"

_A very annoying figment that needs to shut up._

"**I haven't done anything to deserve this!**"

_Oh I'm sure you have._

"**The music went back to normal.**"

Daniel had no idea what that meant but things had gone quiet and the sooner this would end, the sooner Lani might leave. He re-lit his lantern and left for the upper level.

"**Like, he's just gonna be standing there. 'Hey, what's up?'**"

Lani's impression of the monster had a gruffer voice than his usual one, but the silliness of the line made it impossible to see the monster with that voice. What did that line even mean anyway?

"**Then he's gonna kill me.**"

That seemed more appropriate. Daniel put out his lantern as he approached the turn where the monster had sounded and, seeing nothing there, walked down the path with ease. There was a burning torch by two cell doors and Daniel happily stood in its burning glow as it usually helped stop the pounding of his head as well as his shaking.

"**Stand in the light, Daniel, stop being stupid.**"

_You just made a revenge speech over three dead rats, declared yourself a figment of my imagination, and I'M stupid? If you truly are imaginary I may allow that insult as I would have to be stupid to create you._

Lani retorted with a mocking voice of something almost completely unrelated by this point.

"**Head pounding, hands are shaking!**"

_I hate you._

"**You know, Daniel, I don't know what you expect. It's not like anything's gonna get BETTER. You keep going on this journey, it's just gonna get worse! So why don't you mentally fucking prepare next time! For your journey into fucking darkness.**"

_How the bloody hell am I supposed to prepare for THIS! There are demonic beasts and some sort of shadow curse after me, I have no idea about anything going on, I have YOU constantly complaining in my head and calling me evil, I would like to see you mentally prepare for this you damn wanker!_

Daniel lit his lantern and moved on with a burning rage inside him.

"**Asshole.**"

_INDEED YOU ARE!_

"**Yeah that's right, I hate you Daniel.**"

_And I you!_

"**You're just lucky I haven't killed you yet.**"

Daniel almost stopped where he was. Could Lani really do that? He was in his head; it did seem possible for him to mess with his brain. But if he did so, he would die as well. So long as Lani wanted to live, Daniel was safe.

"**Lord knows that's bound to happen at some point.**"

_Not so long as you want to live and I can effectively hide._

Daniel was lost in this maze. Everything already looked the same before, but now every hall was identical save a chair or open door. He lit a lantern to try and think by, but a thud made him leave it to investigate. As he walked more and more thuds sounded. They came quicker than before and Daniel backed away until they were replaced by the squeaks of rats. Fear was greeted with annoyance and he continued walking in his barely sane state. There were two doors, one on either side of Daniel, and the rest of the path until what he assumed was a split into two paths. The cells were closed so Daniel assumed he had not checked them and he entered the one to his left. Inside was a dead body draped over some sort of box, a wooden bed frame, and the faint glow of a candle.

"**Woah, hi there.**"

Daniel closed himself inside, more than uncomfortable by the dead body, but at least there was some form of human. By the candle that was melted onto the floor was another jar of oil. While it made no sense for it to be here, Daniel was happy to have it just the same.

"**Find some lantern oil from me.**"

_For, it's FOR you, you imbecile._

"**And little ratty-rats~.**"

_I will kill those pests if you continue to coddle them._

As much as it disturbed him to do so, Daniel went towards the body.

"**So uh…**"

There was a tinder box in the box he was draped over and Daniel needed as many as he could find. The man was twisted at the ankles in a way that seemed utterly impossible. The man was upside down but his feet were right-side up. The sight alone filled Daniel with the pain he could only imagine this man felt.

"**You're probably not doing-oh! Ow! Oh, how does that even happen? …That is…y-you're tied up like a fucking…ani-like, balloon animal, man, Jesus.**"

_At least you show some form of care, though this isn't so much care as it is confusion…._

"**Beware, these rats have a vengeance!**"

…_never mind then._

"**They saw their, they saw their injured brothers in storage and were like, 'hey, none of that.'**"

Daniel left the cell for the one across the hall, his hate for Lani that had not even dwindled already renewed. As Daniel opened the door to the cell a flash shown in his eyes for another memory that would more than likely be useless. Lani gave a half-hearted sound of pain.

"**Damnit all to hell.**"

The voice was that of a man, at first he was accompanied by the loud sound of chains, but they quickly brought down in volume.

"Hey! Anybody! Help! Christ-I don't believe this. Why…I mean why? What did I do to deserve this?"

"**I dunno.**"

"I mean, it can't be…do I deserve this?"

"**Maybe!**"

"It wasn't my fault! Why did he have to go in there? You don't go into burning houses. He should have known better."

"**I don't even.**"

The flash returned and left with the sounds as Daniel felt no pity for the man. His words were almost identical as Lani's when he complained about the monsters. Daniel could feel no pity for anyone like Lani.

"**So did you leave me anything in here, mister don't-go-into-the-burning-ho-oh…what're the odds, he left me tinder. So you leave the guy who I assume you think is an arsonist something to start fires with? I can only assume you think he's an arsonist, by the way.**"

As Daniel searched the room he had to admit Lani had a good point. Why was tinder in here? Clearly the would not give a prisoner, especially an arsonist, fire. True the room was stone and metal but it still bothered him. Daniel left the cell and went to the end of the path where a torch burned and the path did indeed split into two. The left held a dead end, and the right held pitch black darkness. Daniel had no clue where he was so the darkness seemed a better choice than the dead end. Maybe Lani could help him find a way out.

"**Now quite honestly, I am lost beyond all hell now. I have no fucking clue where I am.**"

_So much for that idea._

Daniel ran back to the dead end, stopping briefly to look inside a half circle window that was barred off and at the bottom of the wall.

"**Hey there's a staircase there.**"

It was useless to Daniel but it was there. The dead end apparently was not a dead end, but a right turn that the light had tricked Daniel into thinking it had not existed. Chains lightly rattled in the distance as Daniel walked and felt isolated and alone despite Lani being there.

"**And you know, I'd light torches from where I've been…but I'm not sure that would help…because, a lot of these are just lit randomly…and who knows, maybe I have been here.**"

A man groaned in pain as Daniel walked on and on, down the winding halls. Every inch of this prison looked the same save the parts with a chair and a few cells.

"**Maybe I haven't. Maybe this entire place is a god damn labyrinth.**"

Daniel was on the verge of breaking down as he put out his lantern and rested by a lit torch he actually recognized.

"**Cause I have been here!**"

The fire crackled and the rats squeaked in the distance. Lani groaned as Daniel looked around. Lani actually sounded downtrodden in his next words.

"**Where the fuck am I?**"

A/N: I am sorry these take so long to come out, but I have good news for those of you who are here either mainly or solely because they can't watch Lani play on blip. Lani's let's play series is uploaded almost completely on YouTube now by someone I don't really know, there's at least one chunk missing but it's really good if you can't see it on blip. Also, Lani has a new let's play series for the game Rise of Nightmares, it's a Kinect game and all 7 parts that are currently out are on YouTube in their entirety. I will not write a fan fiction for that game as the video is far funnier and I think it would be next to impossible to do this sort of thing with a game like that. Be warned though, for those of you who don't know Lani past this fan fiction, he takes a long time to update, sometimes longer than I do, so if you're impatient I don't advise starting Rise of Nightmares until it's done. I hope you all are still enjoying this, and I'll try to remember to update this quickly!


	7. Pork to the rescue once more!

"**All right, Daniel. Let's figure out where the hell we're going.**"

Daniel looked to each path with unsure feelings about each. Lani decided to help by saying something that sounded somewhat familiar, but unlike other seemingly useless pieces of knowledge the origins of these words were lost to amnesia.

"**Eenie, meenie, miny, moe. Catch a, tiger, by the, toe. If he, hollers, let him go-fuck it.**"

Daniel's head was pounding and bobbing it to face each path with every beat of the words was not helping. Straight was as good a direction as any so Daniel traveled down it with his lantern burning.

"**We're going this way.**"

Daniel almost groaned when he saw he was back in the cell with the only corpse around. He was soon disgusted by the fact that he could think to groan when in the presence of such a thing but that was short-lived as Daniel had no time to be disgusted by things now.

"**See if there's anything I missed around here.**"

Nothing was missed, and there was no place to hide anything in here. The rats squeaked as Daniel left for better options.

"**Aside from little ratty-rats.**"

_I hate those vile rats._

The cell across the hall held nothing useful but a lit candle; sadly there were also rats.

"**Anything? I can still move that bed…well there's nothing. All right.**"

Wasting time was an especially dreadful thing in this castle, and Daniel was more than tired of it. He left the cell and moved on to the final one of the area.

_Did I forget this one? It looks just like the rest, it's impossible to tell…._

The cell was home to a sheet of paper lying neatly next to a lit candle.

"**Piece of paper, we did miss something Daniel!**"

3rd August 1839

"**Hey, story time!**"

I feel like I have fled the world and all its worries. Brennenburg is a majestic creation perched upon a forest-clad hill with towers reaching well above even the highest pine trees.

"**Well this story took a drastic turn somewhere!**"

Following the winding road leading to the gates gives the impression of discovering something forgotten, as if journeying with Marco Polo to the hidden Xanadu.

Alexander, the baron, is a peculiar but gracious man. He seems well versed in worldly matters and is not at all as eccentric as I assumed.

"**Aside from the dog murdering!**"

My room is exquisite and I am confident that no hotel for miles could even hope to match it.

As the sun sets on Brennenburg its fairy-tale varnish turns to an eerie gloom. Alexander's strange servants are never far away. They are a quiet lot and their behavior could only be described as skulking.

"**These…these bugs in my other ear are getting really annoying.**"

_What?_

Alexander seems pleased by my presence. As he puts it, it seems like I got here just in time.

The ominous ending to the text unnerved Daniel greatly, as did the description of Alexander and his castle in positive light, but Lani made him almost jump with an over-the-top laugh.

"**MWAHAHAHAHA!**"

_GOD DAMNIT, I HATE YOU!_

"**Yep, ok.**"

_I have a feeling you would respond that same way if you had heard that._

Daniel left the cell and retreated for the burning torch across the hall.

"**Well I'm glad I went down that way, huh?**"

A monster roared. Daniel had not even progressed that much, but it roared nonetheless as he put out the lantern and backed away to the same cell.

"**Oh for fuck's sake….**"

As Daniel reached the doorway, he saw the monster limp into the torch's light from the right side. He quietly hurried into the cell and hid crouching by the doorway and the candle. He knew closing the door would just draw attention to him and he would surely die then, but just sitting here, practically in the open, unnerved him far more. Moments passed in what seemed like hours before Daniel inched back further towards the corner. Lani was actually remaining quiet, and while Daniel hated to admit it, Lani's pestering was better than the ominous silence that was making his head pound with unimaginable pain.

_Did Lani finally leave? I know I should be happy but…his snarkiness did make it easier…._

"**Come on, just leave me alone….**"

_No, you will stay here until it is safe! For some reason I'm safe from monsters when you're around…granted the castle still attacks in its own way, but the monsters are a far bigger concern!_

"**I can't read a single note without these things haunting me!**"

Daniel felt his sanity surface back to remind himself that Lani could not hear his thoughts and that he was not speaking to him. Lani was unaffected by the situation as usual, probably not understanding that if Daniel was to die he would die as well, and was now imitating a drum in a somewhat low voice.

"**Da, da, dum, da, da, dum! Da, da, da, da, dum!**"

Lani groaned as Daniel's dependence on him began to fade away and be replaced with more annoyance.

"**So is that thing just standing out there in the hall waiting for me?**"

Annoyance was promptly replaced by fear. Lani had a way about bringing horror back the moment it was gone. Daniel inched his way to the door and leaned as far as he needed to in order to see down the hall. Nothing was there anymore. Even though more horrors would come on this journey, this moment of relief was more than welcome. His vision had remained stable, and even his head was starting to feel better. Perhaps he was somewhat prepared now, or at least for the peaceful moments. Lani groaned.

"**How're you feeling, Daniel? A slight headache, yeah, been worse. Man….**"

Daniel refilled his lantern with two more jars of oil so that it was now a little over three-fourths full. Lani's commentary was useless to him, and that had become the way Daniel liked it. Whenever Lani was of no use, things were peaceful, and when Lani was silent, things were calm; excluding just now of course. Daniel was feeling much better than he had in a long time and walked down with his newly filled and lit lantern.

"**Now, you see, I found a whole crap ton of lantern oil down here…but now I'm running low on it again. Let's see….**"

Healing sanity or not, Daniel had no desire to follow after the monster. Right was his best choice.

"**We'll go this way since the monster came from this way. So it's likely not to be this way…crap.**"

Daniel was already lost and yet at the same time he was sure he had been here. The pile of boulders and rubble made an appearance soon into his journey.

"**That looks familiar.**"

_No. Really?_

It was rather ironic for Daniel to use sarcasm after complaining about Lani doing it so much, but now he could understand why; it made one feel better.

"**Hopefully…we're not too familiar…let's see, uh….**"

Multiple turns and a staircase later, Daniel found one of the signs that read 'Storage', pointing back the way he had come.

"**Storage that way…oh!**"

A wonderful sight was granted to Daniel; the tunnel. He was back where he had started, and for once this was a good thing.

"**Oh my god, I know where I am, I am-! I'm back at the tunnel thing! Thank god!**"

It may have been elation that Daniel could probably leave here soon, but seeing the sign reading 'Kitchen' excited him and even kept his annoyance for Lani in check.

"**Kitchen!**"

Down where the sign pointed was a staircase and one door. Things were far more simple with the kitchen.

"**Ok, what's up here? This must be the kitchen.**"

…_thank you for stating the obvious._

The door was wooden, it had been far too long since he had seen one, and while it was more dangerous than having a metal door as a shield it provided slight comfort given that monsters were more present after only metal doors were around.

"**All right, let's close the kitchen door, 'case there's something out there. And there's light in here, so…no more burning lantern oil.**"

The light was supplied by a cooking fire which was only a mediocre source despite being the biggest fire in this castle so far. It did not matter much, and a jar of lantern oil perched on the ledge of the stone surrounded the fire was enough to satisfy Daniel's questions.

"**Speaking of which! Ha, ha, glory day!**"

The kitchen held multiple shelves and objects, it may even be of more use than storage was. Daniel felt great, nothing was going wrong and the monster had gone the other way so it could not have been there. The monster roared.

_WHY CAN YOU IGNORE TIME FRAMES YOU BLOODY MONSTER!_

"**Oh, fuck!**"

Daniel ran to the back of the single room and behind a convenient row of pigs in a mix of fear and anger.

"**Piggies! Piggies, save me!**"

Staring at the ribs of a pig's corpse was not the most comforting way to hide, but at least now it was not silent like the last time. Now there was a bashing sound.

"**Oh, he's breaking down the door….**"

_How does it even know I'm here!_

"**Leave me alone, monster. I am hidden by the power of pork!**"

…_I have no words for your stupidity. HOW IS A DEAD PIG GOING TO SAVE US! If this monster is anything like the invisible one it will come after me before the dead meat!_

"**The power of pork compels you! The power of pork compels you!**"

_Out of all the voices I could have in my head, why you? I would much rather a hysterical woman be the one in my head._

Say what he might like, Daniel had to admit Lani was an effective distraction from doom. The pigs were also a distraction, but not a very good one. Daniel huddled himself against the stone wall and attempted to block out all sense of what was happening.

"**Don't look at him; if you look him in the eye he will kill you!**"

Lani also had a way of removing all sense of comfort, and very soon after the last time he did so.

"**Right, piggies? Much better to be killed from behind.**"

It was silent briefly, and Daniel thought it might be as bad as before. Instead, Lani came back even more annoying.

"**The power of pork COMPELS YOU! LEAVE THIS SANCTUARY AT ONCE!**"

It was silent again.

"**The power of pork working?**"

_If you prove that as the reason for the monsters leaving I will play any stupid game you want._

A few more seconds past and there was still no noise other than Lani's voice.

"**Ha, ha! The power of pork!**"

Lani's voice was joined by the squeaks of rats and Daniel knew it would lead to more pampering of the vermin once he was through with the dead pigs.

"**Praise be to thee, O swine god…thy fleshy, and boney…carapace…is my savior….**"

_Yes, yes, the pigs are all powerful and yet have somehow allowed themselves to die._

"**Assuming this thing isn't just standing out there, 'cause these monsters, they just like sitting around. They're just wasting my god damn time, they do.**"

No sound from the monster, but Daniel was still wary of leaving his protective fort of swine. Just out of his one-sided barrier, there was a cask of something that was glowing green. Daniel was amazed that he had not noticed it, but when he was afraid or panicked he would overlook things; the dead body in the fountain earlier was proof enough.

"**You know, maybe I could have shoved it into that, like, bubbling pot! That would'a been hilarious.**"

_And would have certainly caused our death, especially if that stuff isn't lethal._

The monster was either gone or waiting, either way Daniel needed to move. He stood back up and looked to the front, seeing nothing there and nothing changed save the broken door.

"**And you broke my door, asshole!**"

One rat squeaked.

"**Yeah that's right, you tell him ratty-rat!**"

Lani was particularly annoyed, as was Daniel. This area was taking a decent amount of time and Daniel still had no idea how to get out of here.

"**All because I-oh God-fucking…stupid monster, and another sheet of paper.**"

Reading usually helped, or at least gave a peaceful moment. Hopefull it would finally shed a little more light on the situation.

4th August 1839

The nightmares woke me up in the early morning

"**Oh, boo-hoo!**"

and for a moment I forgot where I was. Shortly after there was a knock on my door. Alexander had heard my screams and asked me to join him in the parlor.

"**Creepy.**"

As we drank our tea, Alexander began to tell me what he knew. It seems like the orb I found casts a long and dark shadow. It is not only a powerful item, but a dangerous one. Simply by touching it you invoke the powers within and if you are too weak to control it, it will devour you.

"**And how are you still here, Daniel?**"

_Shut up!_

The shadow is a sluggish thing lagging behind the wielder, killing anyone or anything in its path to reclaim the Orb.

I said I didn't care about its powers and that I should throw it away. Alexander advised against this as I would still be a part of the path to the Orb and eventually suffer death. Having the Orb, I would at least have the chance to fight back when the time came.

"**Ha-ha!**"

I asked Alexander what he meant when he said he could protect me and he answered that things can be done- but at a price.

Daniel waited for Lani to make another obnoxious laugh, but luckily he did not. Unfortunately Lani decided to make more comments about Daniel that could not possibly be true while Daniel collected a loaf of bread that was as hard as rock for a test.

"**So, in the end Daniel's a selfish bastard.**"

_How am I selfish? Anyone would be terrified, and surely it is better to give the shadow the wicked than an innocent. Are you saying I should have died to save monsters? Even if I had, they would most likely die here anyway. I did not send those people to death; I merely saved myself while allowing what would have happened anyway to happen._

"**And since I learned my lesson, with the fire, I'm gonna see what this does.**"

Daniel knew he could not prove or disprove anything to Lani, and he tried to push the issue to the back of his mind. The vat's contents were still glowing, and Daniel stayed a safe distance. He held the loaf over the opening with his burnt hand, it was better to have one hurt hand rather than two should this go wrong, and dropped it while quickly pulling his hand away. His momentum clearly went with the loaf as it hit the rim and landed on the ground instead. Daniel felt a bit embarrassed and frustrated, and he picked the loaf up to try again.

"**After I actually hit it. Wow that was an epic failure of my part.**"

Once the loaf properly landed, it dissolved in what seemed like seconds. Shoving a monster in it may help, but it was still too dangerous to attempt.

"…**awesome! What else can I melt!**"

_I'd rather we didn't. This should make things easier, I could go through locked doors, or even throw it at a monster if I were out of options. I just need a way to carry it; the vat is far too big and heavy to lug around, especially upstairs. The metal of the vat seems safe, so it will probably only weaken the locks, but maybe glass would work? Most chemicals are kept in glass…well, I think that's right._

"**Ah-oo, laudanum!**"

The neighboring shelf held a vial of laudanum that Daniel was more than pleased to have. Laudanum had a way of making everything seem…better.

"**Um…let's melt…this bottle!**"

Many glass bottles lined the shelves, and Daniel collected one to test his hypothesis. He dropped it into the vat and saw that it would not properly fill, but it also did not melt. Glass was the ideal vessel, but a wider opening was needed. Oddly enough, the acid through the bottle back up as if it were bouncing. It must have to do with the bottle's attempt to fill and it's spilling, but that was not Daniel's concern. The glass jar he brought would be useful after all, but so long as the bottle was jumping around and splashing Daniel could not safely fill the jar.

"**So it doesn't hurt glass-OOOH! Wait, hold on, that bottle's just bouncing. But I get it now, it doesn't hurt glass. So-**"

Daniel was willing to risk it, filling the jar in this state was safer than grabbing a bottle that had been bouncing in acid.

"-**POT OF ACID! Acid, my old friend, we have met each other.**"

_And now I have to carry another highly dangerous chemical around. Why couldn't I just find a key? These monsters are becoming the least of my troubles!_

It hit him: he had just progressed, the monsters would come. The bottle would doubtlessly draw attention towards his only hiding spot, so he needed to stop it before it was too late. Daniel looked around more nervous than he had been in a while, gingerly making his way to the vat.

"**And so this must be what I use, to melt the sturdy padlocks…HOW IS IT DOING THAT? Let's see if I can catch it in mid-air.**"

_Sadly I have to…._

Daniel used his injured hand once more, hoping this would be far less painful than he was expecting it to be. Lani was far more excited.

"**Come on, come on, toss it up, toss it up, toss it up!**"

The bottle shot up again and Daniel failed to grab it in time.

"**NYEH-aww, God I wasn't ready for it, it's like a god damn fi-ah!**"

Another failure.

"**Come on, come on, do it again!**"

The bottle lifted once more and Daniel was able to snatch it before it landed. The bottle did not hurt his hand, it was as if there was no acid at all. The glass either somehow repelled the acid, or the air must have blown the acid to a point away from Daniel's hand when it was thrown upwards. Daniel could not have cared less; he was safe and that was all that mattered.

"**YEAH! I'M A KING!**"

A trace of acid was in fact still on the bottle, and in a panic Daniel threw it before the substance could reach his hand. The glass shattered and Daniel flinched. He knew to leave now, if a monster did come at least his hiding spot was safe again.

"**Ok, that was fun.**"

_That's not my idea of fun_…. Wait, in all the fuss I forgot to search, I should do so before I leave.

"**What else have we got here? Um….**"

The monster roared.

_DAMNIT ALL BOTTLES!_

"**Son of a-what the fuck, man!**"

_It heard the damn bottle, Lani!_

Daniel ran back and hid among the hanging pigs.

"**Are you serious! Are you for cereal!**"

_What does that even mean!_

"**These monsters are complete, and utter, assholes!**"

_You must be related._

The room was silent save Daniel's breathes and the commotion in his head. His snap at Lani was to serve as an antidote for his fear, not that it helped, so that Daniel could check the situation with more confidence. Daniel leaned past the half-wall while staying low; he saw nothing.

"**I'm telling ya', it's just not fucking fair.**"

_Why on earth would you expect THIS to be fair!_

"**I mean, I was hiding, like three seconds ago…and here I am again. Did that monster just not leave?**"

_If it hadn't we would have been killed earlier._

Daniel peeked again to be sure; he still saw nothing. It was the safest it would get, so Daniel went for the doorway.

"**I mean that has to be the case, right?**"

_You are hopeless._

"**Is it just sitting down there?**"

_Possibly, and if you keep taunting me with these observations we may never leave._

Daniel lit his lantern and would stop every two or so steps out of the kitchen to be sure he saw nothing.

"**I don't see one….**"

The halls were empty, and the only sound other than Lani was once again that of a burning torch on a wall. The hole to the tunnel was littered about with boulders and a rug.

_Why on earth is there a rug here?_

It was rolled up and out of place. Daniel briefly lifted it but upon examination he saw it was no different than the other ones he had seen countless times.

"**A rug.**"

_I get the impression that Alexander hoard things…._

Down a hall that Daniel may or may not have already been down, a child's cry echoed. Lani mocked the sound with no care as Daniel followed after it. There was another barred door but its lock was on the opposite site so Daniel had to leave it be for now.

"**Whatever.**"

_Remind me again how I'm evil when you don't even care?_

The padlocks Daniel could now weaken, if not melt, were all back upstairs in the storage direction. He made his way and turns with little event for the time.

"**So is there like another place to go up here…? There must be, there must be another path, there must be a padlock I can burn through.**"

_I hope this will work…._

A few more moments later Lani huffed.

"**Well Daniel…it seems we're getting somewhere now, might actually get you out of jail here…. Storage is that way…so something, must be this way, right? Right?**"

This cell area had far too many twists and turns for Daniel's liking. One of the barred floor windows showed stairs; Daniel knew that was familiar.

"**Look, there's stairs that way, Daniel.**"

_We still can't use them though._

"**Let's see…there's a gate…of some sort…over here.**"

Amazingly Daniel found one of the gates, not that he knew if it would be helpful or not. The lock was in a very poor condition and Daniel made a quick note of it. The acid would be wasted on this; he could probably break it as is.

"**This is in very poor condition though. I can just break this one.**"

Daniel attempted to break the lock of with the hammer and chipper, but it would need to be weakened even further still. The acid was now necessary.

_At least I won't have to run with something dangerous now._

"**Oh…needs to be weakened further, ok. Weakening it further…**"

Daniel carefully poured the jar's contents onto the lock before tucking the now empty object into his satchel. He took his hammer and chipper and attempted to break the lock again.

"**And…**"

The lock broke off with one hit. Daniel opened the door triumphantly as a monster roared and sucked away his sense of victory. Lani was annoyed as usual.

"**Oh God!**"

A large door with a black eagle in the middle was directly beyond the gate. Daniel hurried through it and prayed for safety.

"**Damn monsters! But hey! We got Daniel out of prison. All that work and let's just hope that that thing locked behind me.**"

If it had not Daniel hoped the monster would at least leave after seeing he was not past the metal gate. The next room was spacious and soaked in a turquoise light. Pipes thicker than Daniel himself snaked across the floor to an enormous platform in the center. Drainage pipes lines the wall and thankfully were not flowing at the moment. There was one opening in the circular area but Daniel could not see to what yet. Before Daniel could observe the rest, a bright flash presented itself.

"**OW!**"

It was himself and Alexander again.

"So, you use the drain sewers as a means of transport?"

"**A sewer.**"

Lani sounded annoyed.

"Yes-they were built to divert water from an underground spring and are quite spacious. It seemed only natural to incorporate it in the overall structure."

"But we won't be using it."

"Not today. The flow is seasonal and when the spring runs dry the damp tunnels produce a rather poisonous type of fungi. There is an antidote of course-but we won't be bothering with it today."

"**Cause I'll just kill you anyway.**"

"Come, this way instead. We are almost there."

The flash reappeared and left with Lani's groan. Daniel wished the antidote was explained as he would doubtlessly need it. He looked above at the ceiling where a large gated skylight allowed the turquoise cover. Above him were more platforms, only one of which was accessible. Two bridges were hoisted high above the rest of the room and Daniel knew he would need to find a way to lower them eventually. When Daniel lowered his vision to the center piece of the room he saw a lever, but it was best to wait before pulling it.

"**Ok, so considering how far underground I am…I can still see light…God, damn this place! …A sewer level? Really!**"

Lani huffed again.

"**Well…at least I got you out of prison, Daniel. You can thank me for that!**"

_YOU DIDN'T DO A DAMN THING EXCEPT COMPLAIN!_

"**Although now you can rot in the sewer.**"

There was a broken bit of staircase along with piles of bricks and small boulders to the side. Daniel had no idea if they would be useful or not, but most rubble had not been. He climbed the short stairs for a better view of the area as he half-heartedly listened to the remainder of Lani's ranting.

"**And we used up all our acid!**"

Lani groaned.

"**Just have a seat here…think about what you've done.**"

_I have done nothing wrong, Lani. Kindly be silent._

A/N: Hurray short chapters~. Also, I now own a pair of glasses and can see in the distance now! Short-sightedness shall hinder me no more! HAHA!


	8. Sewers huh? Charming

"**Ok, Daniel. We haven't been attacked by a monster in about a minute and a half here, so that's pretty good. Let's see what we got going.**"

Daniel hopped off of the stairs and looked to the stairway and large door he had come from. The remainder of the area was as he observed before, obviously, but he felt it was a good idea to investigate the only path available after thoroughly mapping this area in his mind. He would not get lost in this castle again.

"**Creepy door…water drains…creepy hallway…lots of pipes.**"

_At least the water is somewhat muting you._

"**Hey, some of that chemical crap.**"

Daniel assumed Lani meant the odd rose petals that littered the floor.

_Honestly, why are rose petals in so many areas?_

He hopped over the pipes and went to the lever. There was currently no way up to the platform in the center so this was Daniel's best bet.

"**Let's see….**"

Daniel attempted to pull the lever but it was stuck. If he were to force it, it may break; the gears needed to be greased.

"**Stuck, gears need to be greased…whatever. Let's see what's over here, shall we Daniel?**"

This area was a large circle of nothing, that path had to be the way forward. Daniel lit his lantern and made his way to investigate. Just outside of the hall was a pipe that a black substance flowed from instead of water.

_It must be oil; I can use that on the lever._

"**Hmm…. Oil…as in lantern oil?**"

…_No._

"**Probably not, that'd be too lucky, it looks like it's infinite.**"

Daniel shared Lani's annoyance this time; infinite lantern oil would be a god-sent. Nevertheless, Daniel took out his glass jar again, hoping whatever traces of acid inside were either nonexistent or very weak, and filled it with the oil.

"**However…**"

Lani imitated the sound of the oil filling.

_Why does imitating things amuse you so much?_

"**Glurg, glurg, glurg, glurg, glurg, glarg, glard.**"

Daniel picked up the jar and knew greasing the lever right away was a better option than leaving the jar of oil or allowing it to splash onto his other belongings in his satchel, so he went back to the area's center despite the growing temptation of the hall. Lani seemed bored and slurred his words in an unenthusiastic droll.

"**What d'ya think? Think this'll do it, Daniel? I think it will.**"

_Honestly, how are you bored? Granted we aren't running or hiding right now but we just escaped from a monster and are on a quest to kill an evil man while a bloody shadow-thing chases us down despite barriers! HOW ARE YOU BORED?_

Daniel nearly flung the oil onto the lever in frustration and to repress his fear as well as he could. The oil's weight, and possibly the momentum of Daniel's movement, moved the lever half-way down. Nothing happened though.

"**Hey, there you go. How 'bout some of that?**"

The hallway called to Daniel, and the uncertainty of what was down it easily got to him. He had to know, and ran towards and down it with his lantern burning.

"**Well, before I pull that switch I'm gonna continue exploring down this little hallway here.**"

_Stop saying 'I'! I am me, and you are you, dash it all!_

Daniel slowed to a trot and a slow walk before completely stopping; there was water. Just where a small set of stairs started was a complete flood and not a single box to be found. Lani gave a rather annoyed laugh as Daniel's skin crawled.

"**Hohoho, oh joy! Water! …lots of it, ok.**"

Daniel's memory of the previous flooded hall was fuzzy, but he had no desire to be near it. His tentative steps in the liquid prompted no splashes, and there was no way past it without him swimming under water for an unknown extent of time. Running away from the sight, Daniel listened to Lani's observation and his baby-talk mocking.

"**Ok, I can't go down there. I'm just going to go ahead and assume that Daniel can't swim.**"

_I can swim you arse, what I can't do is breathe under water and effectively fight a bloody invisible monster!_

Daniel pulled the lever on the center platform and watched as a ladder lowered itself before crashing into a pipe that was oddly placed in t's path.

_That is quite the design flaw…._

The pipe was bent somewhat but the ladder had stopped above it from the repellent force and hitting it again may break the wooden ladder before it bent the metal pipe.

_Although this seems to be my only option right now…._

"**Pipe is broken…blocking ladder…by the impact….**"

_Mumble again. Please, I don't think I've ever heard you do so!_

Daniel did not want to risk breaking the ladder, so for now he grabbed one of the many rocks littering the floor and threw it at the pipe as Lani gave a sound of fake effort. The rock bounced away with no effect other than creating a clanking sound. That idea was obviously wrong and there was not much else to try. Daniel lifted the lever up to raise the ladder back to its original position. Hopefully the ladder would survive what Daniel was about to put it through.

"**Maybe if I slam it down really hard…ok now do it.**"

Daniel fumbled the first time and pulled the lever completely down on the second attempt. The ladder came down and hit the pipe once more, bending it further but still not reaching the floor.

_That wood is very sturdy…._

"**Ok I'm gonna keep doing this, see if it works…come on, Daniel! Since your weak ass can't do it, we're gonna have to power the machinery.**"

_Oh I'm sorry, that pipe is only how far up? It's made of metal, and you are still nothing but a bloody voice that is completely useless! You don't give me directions, you can't carry or power anything, you can't get rid of the monsters, and you still call me useless!_

Daniel brought the lever up and down in anger as Lani gave his fake sound of effort again. Lani cheered as the ladder bent the pipe down far enough for the ladder to finally touch the ground.

_I guess you're good at making me mad enough to work faster, though I would hardly call that a positive thing…._

"**Yeah, there we go! Ha, ha!**"

Daniel climbed the ladder which apparently had crooked steps. Odd, something so sturdy was usually made properly. It seemed like that should be true, but Daniel was still fuzzy on what was good and bad in terms of items. After all, most of this castle was crumbling but a simple wooden ladder beat a pipe into submission and a metal vat held a strong acid that weakened a metal padlock.

_Science be damned, I believe is the expression._

"**One, two, three, four…monster's waiting for me at the top.**"

Of course there was no monster, even from below Daniel would have seen or at least heard it if it were there.

"**Okay.**"

Currently, forward was the only available direction so that was the way Daniel went.

"**Let's see what we got here…control room.**"

That would prove useful, but there was no sign indicating that was what the room was. Of course, Lani had been right about the rooms so far so Daniel found little point in questioning him about them. The upper level was now a safe place to run to, so Daniel headed down for a final sweep before exploring the strange room.

"**Eh, there's probably more to explore down here…though I broke the crap out of that pipe!**"

_Yes, yes, hurray for destruction._

"**All right, let's see what we got up here!**"

Daniel walked up to the large doors that he had escaped into this room by. If they were locked he was doubtlessly doomed, if they were not he was most likely doomed.

"**Oh I can actually-**"

The door would not budge.

"**Ah…ok, continuing my exploration of this place before I go into a new area.**"

As much as it disturbed him, Daniel retreated back down to the flooded stairs and into the water of the flat level.

"**Water monster?**"

Lani mumbled something else but the splashes of water obscured his voice. It was something else about the monster, no doubt a cynical comment; that much Daniel was sure of. Daniel was also sure that the water was far too deep to traverse safely, even without monsters, so he would need to either find another way out or a way to reduce the water level. On the up side, Lani had been growing harder and harder to hear so he was possibly leaving for good.

_The more I remember the saner I become, if I regain my memory I should be free of this bastard for good._

"**Ok, so apparently I have to go into the control room. There doesn't appear to be any other way.**"

_So long as it is monster free and you continue to fade away that is fine by me._

Daniel made his way back to the center pillar-like structure and climbed up the ladder and down the single path.

"**Welp….**"

Lani's utterance was clearly a variant of 'well' rather than an insult; mere void filler.

"**Let's see what we got...just entered one area, now heading into a different one.**"

Daniel opened the rather heavy door and entered into a dim hall littered with pipes and ceiling lights. The area was lit but the candles could only do so much from their given height.

"**A well lit room, that's not promising.**"

Lani was somewhat right; when a room was well lit it usually either immediately preceded a pitch black and dangerous area or it itself would become a pitch black and dangerous area. The beginning areas of Daniel's amnesia-driven adventure were of course exceptions, but this was far past those safe grounds. Despite the negative associations, the light still comforted Daniel and his mind. Between the light and Lani's fading Daniel was more or less capable of clear thought. His lantern was sadly still needed for this hall as he half-blindly walked about before seeing two doors, one on either side, and a stranger door at the hall's end. After slight debate Daniel began by searching the door to his left. Inside was a skylight covered by decorative metal, a few boxes as per usual, support beams, and bizarre metal machinery that Daniel had not the faintest idea of what to do with. He went directly to what appeared to be a sort of control panel with three turning wheels and no other form of switch or directions. Messing with the machinery thoughtlessly was probably a horrible idea so Daniel let the wheels be for now.

"**Levers, and stuff….**"

Daniel thought about lighting a mounted candle behind him but found it pointless given the present light. There was a stray pipe on the ground in the outline shape of half a square. Daniel picked it up to see if there was a proper place for it, but that was most likely something he would come across later so he let it drop to the floor for when that time came.

"**A pipe piece…which no doubt I'm gonna have to put somewhere….**"

The rest of the room seemed useless, so Daniel jogged across the hall to the other normal door. Inside was the same skylight, another pipe in the same shape, the same machinery, and the sound of the machine doing whatever it was that machinery does. Hanging on chains were three metal weights just like the other room, but instead of all resting on the ground they were raised to different heights.

"**More things….**"

While these machines would doubtlessly be important Daniel was not going to risk making it worse until he had to. The third door was actually a heavy gate, and there was no way he could lift it open by hand. To the right of the door was a turning wheel that had to open the door and sure enough it did.

"**Heavy gate? Oh, hello there.**"

Daniel turned the wheel until the door was as high up as it would go and he could no longer see it. Unfortunately, the moment he released the wheel the door began to close again.

"**Well that….**"

It creaked down slowly and gave more than enough time to see into the next room which seemed to be in shambles. Daniel did not fancy being trapped in there if there was no wheel on the other side, so after a few moments of contemplation he grabbed a nearby box and set it in the way of the door to hopefully stop it.

"**Let's see if that works. See how heavy this gate is!**"

_It is rather unlikely, but these boxes have yet to break._

Amazingly, the door quietly rested on the box and gave no indication that anything would give way.

"**Awesome. I now know what I must do!**"

_Oh lord, he's acting like a fantasy hero again._

Daniel carried another box over before turning the wheel and lifting the door a second time as Lani reverted to his lowest effort of humor: odd sounds.

"**Eh, eh, eh!**"

In a bit more of a rush, Daniel placed the second box atop the first only for it to topple into the other room.

"**No, no, stay on there.**"

He would most likely have to try again, but Daniel made an attempt to restack the box before the door closed. With some sliding and trouble Daniel managed to add the box just in time, with some lop-sided appearance though.

"**Oh Daniel…well that's…kind of works, I'm terrible at stacking thing apparently.**"

_Because you have no form, now kindly fade away completely._

Daniel grabbed a third box and hoped he would be able to stack it in time given the limited room for error. As he turned the wheel his legs briefly faltered. This was not so unexpected as the events of this day were doubtlessly catching up to Daniel now that he was not in a panic and on full guard.

"**Hold on to it, Daniel.**"

Daniel took hold of the wheel again and turned it as he tried to push the gravity of his situation away from his mind. Once the gate was up he centered the second box on the first so that the entire structure would not collapse and attempted to stack the third. The third box had no room to go and simply knocked the second one off into the next room.

"**Agh, I fucked it up!**"

As little sense as it made, Daniel enjoyed Lani taking the blame. The gate was almost shut on the first box so Daniel turned the wheel again before stacking one of the other boxes on top. It was clear that if Daniel was to stack all three he would need the gate to stall before sliding down. That obviously was not happening so two was all he would achieve.

"**Whatever, I'll settle for two. I think I can crouch under that.**"

Daniel made final adjustments to center the box as the gate slowly creaked to as much of a close it could accomplish. Lani mumbled something as Daniel successfully crouched down and into the other room.

"**Yeah, settling for two works. Ok, let's see.**"

There were one or two stone pillars lying on the ground, broken and with rubble scattered. A long pipe stretched across the room and three wooden doors were visible; one across the room and one on either side just like before. In the room to the left was a large cylinder of metal that appeared to be sunken into the floor. It was too strange for Daniel to accurately describe. There was a control panel with levers instead of turning wheels and the same sky light shining down on the stairs. Daniel looked over the levers but quickly decided against touching them just like he had with the wheels and hurried to investigate the other room.

"**This is…very intricate, uh…I don't want to fuck with anything yet. I mean, I know that's what I've generally been doing this entire time, just fucking with things…but I got a feeling if I pull like a wrong switch at this stage in the game, like a monster's gonna come out and naw on my ass.**"

_Thank you, Lani, for that delightful idea._

The room across the hall held the exact same machinery and sky light, but the large cylinder was out of sight. It was beneath the floor. Daniel went to examine the position of the levers hoping all he would have to do is mimic their position.

"**Ok, I'm gonna go mimic what this thing's doing.**"

Back in the other room Daniel pulled the first lever down. Steam let loose and metal moved. He pulled a second lever and watched the cylinder move down further into the floor.

"**Something's happening….**"

The large cylinder was now halfway down.

"**Oh, oh, hold on…let's see if I can fix it….**"

Daniel pulled the far left lever he had pulled back up and watched the cylinder move up with it. He pulled the middle-left lever down and saw it go up even further.

"**Does it need to go higher or lower? I have no idea.**"

_If the other room was correct than lower, but we may have to do the opposite for this room…._

The middle-right lever went down and the cylinder lifted up. Daniel was almost certain it could go no higher so down it was. He pulled the far right lever and watched the cylinder sink a bit downwards.

"**Uhhh….**"

He pulled the far left and saw it sink even less. With a good tug the lever was all the way down and the cylinder sunk a bit more. He lifted the middle-left lever and the cylinder was almost completely gone now.

"**Almost all the way down….**"

The middle-right lever went up, and the cylinder went down under the floor. The room vibrated with the sudden movement of mechanisms and whatever else may have contributed and Daniel assumed he had done the correct thing.

"…**did I do good or bad?**"

_It's 'well'! Honestly, I have amnesia and therefore an excuse, but you should understand basic English!_

"**Daniel, what did we do?**"

_We fixed a machine that does lord knows what._

Daniel investigated the rest of the room, specifically a desk with a lit candle stuck to it. There was another small mallet and a white crank with no known purpose. A crank in a machine room could be of use though, so Daniel collected it in his satchel.

"**Ok, I'm gonna take that wooden crank and, uh…let's assume I did something good.**"

Daniel left the room and went to investigate the only door he had left untouched so far. Inside was well lit and mostly barren save some boxes, unlit candles, and steps to nowhere. Pipes littered the walls but this room seemed to serve no purpose. Daniel lit his lantern to investigate further.

"**Ok, that looks like a steam pipe….**"

_Seeing as we hear steam everywhere we go I believe that's a safe guess, Lani._

Among the boxes where a few locked chests like before.

"**Those things that I can't open….**"

Nothing useful was among the boxes that Daniel could find.

"**Is there a point to this fucking room? …anything?**"

Daniel assumed the room was useless to him no matter it's usual use and left without conflict.

"**Ok, where this part of the game is probably not trying to be scary, it's just giving me a crap-ton of puzzles.**"

_This is not a game, but even if it were I would prefer puzzles over monsters anytime._

Lani groaned as Daniel returned to the room with the wheel controls he assumed needed fixing. Daniel turned the first wheel and stopped when he heard a click, hoping that meant it was in position.

"**Ok, so I'm….**"

Lani was quickly drowned out by the machinery and his own mumbles. Daniel slowly creaked the middle wheel along, listening for the same click; once it sounded Lani made his random sounds again. The first wheel was double checked and the clicks were the same, even though Daniel turned the wheel too far by mistake.

"**That was the click of it going to the end of the chain….**"

Daniel turned the last wheel slowly but heard no click, even when he had turned it as far as it would go. He did the same in reverse and still heard no proper click.

"**Hm.**"

On the third try Daniel turned the wheel even slower, inching it along with no click.

"**Is that it? I don't….**"

_If I fix the first one, I won't have to hear the third one click; I'll just need to see it work._

Daniel turned back the first one until it was in what he assumed to be the correct position, if this whole click idea was to be trusted.

"**Wait, there it was…ok.**"

Daniel fought with the last wheel for a while, steadily growing aggravated with this process.

"**No, no, no, other way! …eh…eh…eh! ...I'm bad at this….**"

_This is simply impossible!_

"**I know, I was listening for a click but I didn't hear one damnit! Let's try the other one….**"

Lani sounded tired and worn with annoyance more than effort, but a break from those wheels and weights would be most welcome. Across the hall in the other room were the other weights and wheels Daniel was hesitant to touch.

"**Or is this one set proper? Should I not fuck with this one? What do I do with the pipes?**"

This room was somewhat dark and Daniel was low on ideas so he lit his lantern to search for hints. A tinderbox greeted him with some form of accomplishment.

"**Tinder! Yay, there is some good coming out of this.**"

There was nothing else though.

"**This room's pissing me off!**"

Lani grunted as Daniel left the room and the area entirely because he could not figure out what to do for the life of him.

"**I'm gonna see what I missed out here.**"

Once outside the door Lani groaned again and Daniel noticed for the first time a lever to his side.

"…**you're kidding me. Did I really miss this?**"

Daniel pulled the lever and watched as the hanging bridge on the left came down slowly for use. Lani gave a gruff sigh.

"**Daniel…and another one!**"

There was a second lever on his right and Daniel pulled it as well. Nothing happened.

"**Ok, well anyway I got one. One is good enough.**"

If Daniel was lucky one was all he would need, but Daniel was very rarely lucky.

"**As long as I can explore, that's fine by me. 'Cause that other room…pissing me the hell off.**"

Daniel made his way down the path and across the bridge to the newly available door. Lani read something Daniel could not see like he sometimes did.

"**Alexander knew there must be a way to finish the ritual before it was too late. He had to teach his friend to harvest the…vit-ae…vit-aye?**"

Daniel was not sure what that was, but the thought of Alexander harvesting anything from a ritual was nerve racking. Past the door even more of Daniel's sense of safety and confidence flew away. He was on a stone walkway made to be walked only in a single file line or alone. Below was water.

"**Well….**"

Water came down in echoing drops in the distance as Daniel cautiously walked along the paths.

"**What do you wanna bet there's a water monster down there?**"

Apparently Daniel wagered a flashback and Lani wagered his whining. Daniel's past-self spoke with Alexander as rose petals fell from somewhere above.

"You are conserving water from the spring."

"Yes, it enables me to control the water in the drain sewers to some extent. Also, it can be used for all sorts of purposes."

"Like for drinking."

"Well, that too. But mostly to run different machines."

"Ah, like water mills."

"Exactly."

"**Yes, Daniel. Good for you, have a cookie.**"

The flashback ended and Daniel growing even more annoyed with Lani.

_I preferred it when you were silent._

Daniel nearly froze in horror at his placement. His current standing ended with stairs into the water, and the next dry place was across the room and too far away for him to jump to. If he was to progress, Daniel had to enter the water.

"**All right I'm gonna stay in this water too long so….**"

With as much force as he could give, Daniel kicked off from where he stood and landed in the water, injured but uncaring. He clambered up the steps to safety before the pain could settle or a monster could appear. Lani laughed.

"**That jump hurt you!**"

_I hate you so much…._

"**Oh, Daniel, you are so weak.**"

_I'm lucky to not be limping thank you!_

Around the corner the platform was broken in increments just large enough for jumping to be necessary and possible but still difficult given the moist ground and his injury. After the first jump Daniel heard a muffled vice in the distance.

"**Ah, once again the crying of the damned.**"

Daniel jumped again, sadly used to Lani being the arse that he was. A third jump and safety, Daniel was now on a complete pathway with two possible direction to go.

"**There we go. All right. Let's continue towards-**"

Daniel went down the left and found a chest along the way.

"**-hey!**"

Inside the chest was a tinderbox and a jar of lantern oil.

"**Lantern oil! And tinder! The gods have smiled upon us, Daniel, your broken ankle shall not be in vain.**"

_Joy._

A faint murmur echoed through the large empty chamber as Lani mumbled the same observation.

"**Why do I get that by clicking on this thing?**"

_Clicking?_

"…**whatever. Uh…at least it's giving me a space to explore now, you know that's…that's nice of it.**"

Daniel floundered abut a few times as an unseen man faintly cried.

"**Where am I supposed to be going? Maybe there aren't any water monsters around yet.**"

_And now that you've said that they will appear, thank you, Lani!_

"**All I know: they are a pain in the ass.**"

_Words of wisdom from Lani._

Distracted by annoyance, Daniel missed the platform. He was back in the water and his splashes drowned out Lani's words. It was impossible to get back up, but nothing had sounded yet. If he could reach the stairs across the way in time all would be fine.

"**Run for it, Daniel.**"

With luck smiling down upon him for once, Daniel reached the stairs unhurt and there was still no invisible, or visible, monster.

"**Man, I've gotten paranoid about water. Daniel, look what you've made me do.**"

_What I've made you do! Why do you only blame me!_

"**And there aren't even any monster treats around.**"

A lifted bridge became the next obstacle as there was no crank or lever to lower it.

"**Hm…a chain huh? Well, I'll show chains what I think.**"

_I hope this works…._

Daniel picked up a nearby rock to be his tool.

"**You, rock, come with me.**"

Once back at the bridge Daniel aimed the rock carefully at the chain as he would only have so many tries.

"**Hey you, chain, fuck you.**"

To his amazement, Daniel not only hit the chain but it broke and allowed the bridge to fall. He stared at the bridge and around it, dumbfounded.

"**I'm actually speechless that that worked.**"

_Apparently not._

Daniel crossed the bridge and was promptly greeted by a path that was now almost all ruble.

"**Well, not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth.**"

Jumping from platform to platform was a tedious pain, but there were far worse things.

"**The fact that they're giving me all these platforms to run on just tells me that there will be a water monster though.**"

_Bloody hell, Lani, must you always ruin my brief comforts!_

Once on a solid platform Daniel saw another wheel and a note resting atop one box among two.

"**A valve, and paper.**"

7th of August 1839

Lani attempted to create ominous music but it just sounded silly to Daniel's ears.

There is no denying that Alexander puts a lot of faith into what I can only describe as magic. I'm not surprised, even while traveling across Europe I assumed I would have to embrace the supernatural to save my mind and life. As a novice I do everything in my power to stay focused and not dwell too much on my own doubts.

Alexander woke me up early and told me it was time we got started on our work. He was obviously excited to get going and we headed downstairs to the old dungeon where he preferred to attempt his rituals.

It turns out that Alexander is a true Renaissance man, paralleled only by Da Vinci, I'm sure.

"**That is….**"

He showed me several rooms fitted for specific research such as anatomy studies, alchemy and botany.

"**And dog murder!**"

The crown of Brennenburg must be the Inner Sanctum, a most hallowed ground, where we shall attempt to permanently banish the orb's shadow.

"**And somehow this all went for a turn for the worse. Let's see what this does.**"

Daniel turned the valve as he contemplated just what had happened between his former-self and Alexander. Their relationship was close, but Daniel was unsure about whether or not they were simply professionals or if they had become friends. If they had somehow become friends Daniel could only imagine the sense of betrayal his former-self experienced when Alexander's true nature became evident. If it was merely a professional relationship this was merely a moral driven venture. No matter the case, when the valve finished turning the entire area became darker with a loud thud of metal sounding around him. Strong gusts of wind swirled around and towards Daniel. The monsters must have appeared by now, and in order to keep his sanity his lantern was needed yet again.

"…**I have no idea what just happened. But whatever it did…it caused wind…is all that water down there gone?**"

The darkness was obviously playing with Lani's sight, as well as Daniel's. Daniel ran without stopping until he heard the water splash and the distinct growl of a monster.

"**No, apparently it's not. Far from it actually.**"

This was where Daniel had to jump in the water, of course it would appear here. Daniel put out his lantern to keep from drawing more attention to himself and noticed the oil level was low. Any excuse to not enter the water was welcome, and Daniel filled the lantern until it was near full.

"**Ok Daniel, it's ok, I'm just gonna refill your lantern oil 'cause you're a pansy.**"

Given that he was doomed either way, Daniel relit his lantern so he would at least keep his sanity.

"**Let's see…**"

Daniel's footsteps squished with water from his damp surroundings as well as his tromp through the water.

"**What do I do? 'Cause I definitely heard a monster.**"

Testing was always what one should do when they are uncertain, though given the price of failure that option was not very attractive. A rock would have to serve as Daniel's means of reference, so he tossed one into the water. The rock made a loud splash and no other sound came except the same dripping water and the occasional step from Daniel.

"**And it does not, and it doesn't actually come to those so…hm….**"

Daniel took the steps to the water one at a time, tentative and careful to avoid making a single sound. The same man created the same faint, muffled sounds before Daniel drew a large breathe and leapt as far as he could from the ledge, creating a splash similar to the rock's. Without hesitation Daniel ran for the next set of stairs.

"**Let's go for this.**"

Lani was barely audible with the splashes echoing endlessly during Daniel's running. Once he had reached the steps and began catching his breath, Daniel saw steam emitting from the wall and was still unaware of whether or not any of the splashes made were the product of a monster. He took a look back at the water and saw not so much as an extra ripple.

"**Nope, nothing…I saw a fish though.**"

Even with Lani spouting sarcasm and making unfunny jokes Daniel was happy to at least be able to hear them. When he thought about that though, he grew worried about feeling comfort from a disembodied voice inside his head. Daniel put out his lantern and stared at the blowing steam, attempting to move his thoughts with a puzzle.

"**What're the odds that this hurts?**"

It was an understandable question; Daniel could already feel a moist heat coming off of the stream blowing from the pipe but he was not sure if it would scold him or not. The hand he had burnt itched, and Daniel knew it was not worth testing. Once the steam halted he ran past the first pipe as Lani yelled out encouragement in less than a second's time.

"**Run, Daniel!**"

The second pipe ceased its steam as well and Daniel ran.

"**Run, Daniel!**"

There was one last pipe, at least in this direction, and Daniel repeated his actions.

"**Don't get burned! Gonna get burned!**"

_Shut up!_

"**Hey, more pipes.**"

There was one of a dozen rusted pipes curving down the wall and on it was another turning wheel. Once Daniel had turned it completely there was no immediate change, not even a sound other than the metal clank of it ending and the crackling fire of a nearby torch. Daniel looked for what had changed and he was relieved to see that the steam had stopped spraying from the pipes he had just passed.

"**That'll shut you the fuck up.**"

In spite of this good news, Daniel was still growing closer and closer on edge about things. He was in an extension of a sewer that possibly had a monster in it, muffled sounds of people being tortured sounded around him, he still had very little knowledge on himself and the world around him, and of course Lani had practically become normal to him. Daniel's breathes came shakily like they did so often, and he was quickly winded from running along the paths; he was beginning to realize how much physical activity he had been partaking in recently.

"**Oh, Daniel, there's a light right over here.**"

A sign that was attached to a corner pipe read 'Redirect sewer water'.

"**Redirect sewer water….**"

_Must you read every sign we pass aloud!_

"**Papers….**"

There was another diary entry sitting on a box near the sign.

_How on earth did this get down here?_

8th of August 1839

"**God, you write a lot!**"

_Shut up, these have been very helpful! …sometimes._

I could never be certain until today that I was on the right path. Using my Orb, Alexander managed to channel its powers unto us. The Inner Sanctum flared with blue fiery light and I could feel the same things I felt in the dark chamber in Algeria. It was like standing in a mad whirlpool of impressions. It was terrifying, but Alexander kept calm and wielded strange tools of science in order to tame the storm.

Suddenly the blue light was stained by strains of red and the walls burst with pulsating tissue resonating with the scene.

"**I know those!**"

_All too well…._

Alexander quickly covered the Orb in some cloth and the unspeakable thing vanished. Apparently, the Orb's shadow is closer than Alexander thought. He says I should prepare for a warding ritual tomorrow. I'm not sure what he expects, but I have a bad feeling about this.

Daniel had a feeling that they would have to do far more than simply find an orb and wrap it in a cloth, though that would be a far more preferable course of action

"**Today is the ninth of August, isn't it?**"

Daniel turned another wheel control, debating with himself about today's date. This time though, when the wheel finished turning, the whole area grew darker and the metal clank was even louder. Wind swirled itself and plenty of dust in front of Daniel as if it were an obscure warning. If there was not a monster before, there probably was now.

"**Ahh…the world hates Daniel!**"

Daniel had to agree. With his lantern burning for him, Daniel ran back across the platform paths until he reached the stairs to the hellish water.

"**Ok Daniel, it's ok.**"

_No it is not!_

Daniel was in a panic again, and rather than jump and create a loud splash he ran through the water hoping it would be quieter. It was not. Each step sounded like a full jump and Daniel swore he heard the snarl of the invisible monster.

"**Keep moving, Daniel.**"

He ran up the stairs and looked back in astonishment; nothing had come after him. Testing was still not something he wanted to try, but Daniel jumped the short distance across the way and hurried up those steps as well.

"**Well let's check here…this way…read a paper or something….**"

Daniel was back at the section with the broken platforms and saw it almost completely lit up by torches.

"**Hey! These lights came back on!**"

Jumping from platform to platform was tedious and at times nerve-wracking, but it was still the only way.

"**And…whoop! Think I missed a…turning pipe, or something….**"

Daniel rounded a broken corner and saw his current worst fear in the water when he reached the next platform: an empty splash. There was a perfect splash and nothing in sight; that was the monster's splash.

"…**THAT…that, that was a monster, wasn't it?**"

_OH, DO YOU THINK SO?_

Escape was the key, and standing on one small platform was not the best plan, but Daniel still did not want to run back and have come here for nothing. The last platform was a bit larger than the others and was home to another sign, another wheel, and another piece of paper.

"**I don't know any other—hey, this…**"

9th of August 1839 "Woo!"

It is still early and Alexander is busy preparing for the ritual later today. Seeing him this worked up makes me question, why? What does he stand to gain? I realize he is curious about it all, but surely there must be more.

"**Really?**"

_Your mockery is not appreciated, Lani._

Is he so foolish he will attempt to tame the power of the Orb?

I must admit that yesterday when Alexander flooded the Inner Sanctum with blue light, I realized we had but grazed the Orb's true potential. This might turn out to be more than escaping a creeping shadow. It might be the beginning of something truly extraordinary.

"**Extr-AO-rdinary!**"

…_._

"**Let's do this.**"

Daniel turned the wheel and it reacted the same way the last one did with the same sort of darkness and blowing wind with dust. Now, there was a sense of completement and accomplishment though, as well as Lani half-singing a few notes as if imitating holy music. Daniel leapt across the broken path and ran once he reached the solid sections; he was finally done here. He made his way easily; even the jump in the water to reach the stairs went smoothly.

"**Now, let's go figure out what I just did.**"

Daniel left the entire area, and that monster, and returned to the cistern.

"**See? I'm making a lot more progress than I was in that other room.**"

_The other room was safer._

"**I mean, sure, I'll have to deal with that other room eventually anyway but…come on.**"

The well-lit cistern was a welcomed contrast to the darker area Daniel had just left. He ran and jumped his way from the hanging bridge to the center platform. Down below was his goal; the water levels must have changed now. If they were low enough, Daniel may not even need to return to the machine room.

"**Ok, now 'cause I just moved a crap-ton-o-water, I can only assume I can now go down into the whatever-the-basement. Come on, Daniel.**"

Down the hall, the difference was perfectly clear.

"**Hey!**"

Even further down was clear now, but the air was a strange green color. Lani was clearly happy and Daniel was too for the new area.

"**Hey!**"

Daniel's happiness was short lived as a burning sensation greeted his throat and lungs, causing him to give a painful cough.

"**OW! What the hell hit me?**"

_It's the bloody air!_

The coughing continued and it grew harder and harder for Daniel to breathe. He managed to focus on the stairs and hurried up them before he could cough up actual blood.

"**Ok, something's….**"

Daniel ran until he was out to the main area and allowed his coughing to slowly come to a stop.

"**The fuck was that?**"

_The air must be poisonous, or at least carry some sort of fast-acting virus._

Daniel's throat stung from the coughing and he was in desperate need of water. All he had now was laudanum and his health was not bad enough for that yet. Daniel almost hobbled over to the ladder and rested a moment before climbing back up.

"**Few cuts and bruises? Ugh, ok fine! Since, Daniel doesn't like it when he's inhaling poisonous gases.**"

_Of course not, it's a very painful thing._

"**I find it hilarious, however!**"

…_._

"**Back into the control room, Daniel. Let's try this again. All right.**"

In the control room seemed much nicer than any of the other places Daniel had come upon since leaving the prison, but it was also the most frustrating. After breathing in poison everything seemed harder than before, it was difficult enough just opening one of the doors; he fumbled with it a few times but eventually forced it open.

"**Open it.**"

Inside were the hanging weights.

"**Ok, so if I just have to match it, like I did in the other room…I just need to get them to hang like that…that's all.**"

_I hope so._

"**So, I'm going to get them to hang like that.**"

The second room to have the weights had them all on the ground with the chains hanging loosely. Daniel turned the first wheel and heard the click he tried judging by before. The click still seemed relevant so Daniel backed up to check the height of the weight.

"**About right.…**"

Daniel turned the third wheel and watched the weight move up and down until he heard a faint click. He tampered with it slightly until he was satisfied.

"**Maybe, ok, and let's try this.**"

Finally Daniel turned the middle wheel until he heard a muffled but loud boom from somewhere beneath him; Lani was pleased.

"**Hey! …all right!**"

Daniel smiled to himself and left the room, but the moment he reached the door frame he heard a voice that was not Lani's, a victims', or one of a flashback. It was Alexander's voice, plain and clear.

"Daniel, is that you?"

Daniel trembled, thinking he was either in his head with Lani or right there with him. He looked around scared and confused.

"What are you doing?"

"**Alexander? Are you here? 'Cause, my job is to kill you…and I swear, like, you know if I can just kill you right here, right now, that'll make things a LOT easier for me!**"

_Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!_

Daniel grabbed one of the pipes both for protection and possible offense. Lani's way of doing things was crude but if he could truly kill Alexander here Daniel was not about to waste the opportunity. If he was in his mind as well…he would have to come up with something soon.

"**Now get out here while I bash your brains in with a pipe!**"

…_I…I don't even…why? What made you like this?_

Daniel moved the pipe under the heavy gate that was still held up by the two boxes; either Alexander would make himself known or Daniel could continue working. There was no sign of anything so Daniel went to find another pipe.

"**Huh? Huh? Oh I know, you don't like pipes, then how about a second! Ah! Come on, motherfucker!**"

_Are you a child, Lani? Because you act like one almost constantly until your humor becomes dark._

Daniel grabbed a second pipe and shoved it under the gate as well.

"**I will fuck you up with this pipe.**"

_Do you remember my idea of replacing you with a hysterical woman, Lani? Yes, that still sounds like a wonderful notion to me._

"**Yar!**"

Daniel threw the pipe.

_I hate you._

"**Whatever. Did I miss something now, or what?**"

The left room held the large metal slab Daniel had lowered into the floor earlier, but he had never checked the rest of the room.

"**Hey, there's an area under these stairs…completely void of anything useful. I still haven't explored all over here yet. I do not want to leave an item behind!**"

Neither did Daniel, but there was no item here to leave behind.

"**Do we, Daniel?**"

The room across the hall looked just the same, but with a third pipe for Daniel to collect as well as a table with a lit candle, a tinderbox, and a piece of paper.

"**Another pipe! Hey, tinder! Hey, paper!**"

This time Lani read aloud and, of course, in one of his inane voices.

Machine

13th January, 1799

The work I have put into this machine is unequaled by the reasoning of any man. The thought that generations of men have passed away since I first attempted to reconstruct the design is most tiring. The limitations of this world have made my work incredibly difficult. It has forced me to build the thing almost a hundred times larger than the delicate contraption it tries to emulate.

Not to mention the flow of tamed lightning crudely replaced by pressured steam pushing its way through pipes and turbines. It shames me to think of what the inventor would have thought of my monster. Where he works with a magnifying glass to carefully fix all the parts, I push five men to erect a tower of wrought iron in the hope it will have even the tiniest hint of the power found in a Traveller's Locket.

_I don't even know what you just read, I'm just going to put it away before you can act it out again._

Daniel hated Lani's games, but a jar of oil was a welcomed forgiveness present from the universe.

"**Lantern oil!**"

Leaving to room, and almost the back area completely, Daniel stopped and thought he had best return to the very back room.

"**There's got to be something to do with this room back here. I can't help but think that. Are there any pipes or anything I'm missing or…?**"

One wall held many pipes that leaked steam out.

"**Hey come on, there's gotta be something, right? These pipes…I get the feeling they're like the cogs; they're just kind of sitting around. But they can't just be sitting around for no reason…unless they are.**"

_Brilliant deduction, Lani._

"**Whatever, I obviously did something and Alexander talked to me, either psychically or-**"

Back at the heavy gate Daniel had eventually found his way back to, he noticed the two boxes were greatly askew after he had shoved the pipes through.

"**Hold on.**"

Daniel turned the wheel that lifted the gate and rather than deal with the boxes he simply walked on.

"**There, I can walk through it. I don't think I even needed to stack the boxes…well let's see what I did out here.**"

Running out of ideas, Daniel was hoping the second lever would work now and lower the other bridge. Lani mocked more eerie music.

"**Well that thing's still stuck. Is this lever working yet? Maybe I did something to it?**"

Daniel turned his attention from the lifted bridge and pulled the second lever by the door to the control room. Nothing happened.

"**You know, I wrote something in my journal about it, let's see.**"

Daniel took out his journal and hoped he had written something useful he had forgotten about.

"**Repair the machine powering the eastern bridge…ok so I haven't quite done that yet apparently, whatever.**"

With no more clues Daniel reentered the control room to find whatever it was he needed to do. Lani huffed.

"**Daniel, our work is never done, and by our work I mean mine because you are a lazy son of a bitch who doesn't help.**"

_EXCUSE ME? I DO NOTHING? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE BESIDES TALK AND COMPLAIN?_

"**Granted I put you in all of harm's way, but hey.**"

_YOU…YOU JUST…UGH!_

Daniel stared up above at the ceiling in frustration.

"**Ok, let's see…that pipe…to that room, which tells me nothing.**"

Under the gate and towards the very back he went, a gust of wind blowing through to greet him.

"**Yes, yes, whoosh! An extra-polean-chain-thing….**"

_If you didn't mumble so much and I could understand you better we might get things done faster, Lani._

Daniel lit his lantern and saw on one wall eight holes.

_You must be joking._

"**Oh! There are things, I knew those pipes did something!**"

One pipe was just outside the room, but Daniel was too frustrated and astounded by his overlooking the holes that he dropped the pipe a time or two before he established his grip.

"**Come on, lift it up, Daniel. Don't be a candy-ass.**"

…_I give up._

He set the pipe in place with the two center holes horizontally and noticed an unlit candle fused to the rising bench before leaving to find the second pipe.

"**I don't even need to waste my tinder here. Aw, all the pipes I dragged through aren't there. Oh well.**"

_Um…where are they now? Surely they can't be back where they were before I moved them._

"**Now I'm getting the hiccups, go to hell Daniel!**"

_What did I do!_

"**Is there one in here? Anything? I swear…no? Ok. Oh wait, there's one.**"

Daniel grabbed the second pipe and ran to the back room to fascine it.

"**I guess the ones I dragged through were there.**"

_Where else would they be?_

"**Hold on.**"

The second pipe Daniel put vertically on the far left, leaving four holes left in total.

"'**Kay. That means I need two more.**"

Back into the surrounding areas and rooms Daniel went searching.

"**Why can't I just rip one of these other pipes from the walls?**"

_You and I both know why that would not work, Lani._

"'**Cause that could be fun.**"

_I get the distinct feeling you would saw the same thing if you heard me…._

"**There's gotta be some pipes floating around down here…the only reason I'm running now is 'cause I don't want to waste lantern oil.**"

_I find it practical._

What was not practical was Lani using a terrible German accent for his next quip.

"**I see nothing!**"

_Ugh…._

"**All right, let's check this one…there's a pipe.**"

_Finally._

Daniel took the pipe and ran for the back room again as Lani spouted out a series of do's and da's.

"**I can't help but think of Daniel jogging with my knees.**"

Whether or not that was truly what Lani said and not just what Daniel heard was to remain a mystery, as one he placed the third pipe with the two middle holes the machinery kicked off and was definitely finished.

"**Oh…well I guess that did it…you know, I do something good, then the world warns me with ominous sounds and crap.**"

_I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm just happy to move on from down here._

Lani began mumbling some reading of his as Daniel left for the cistern.

"**The beautiful wild orchid seemed a testament to nature's strength…I'm not gonna be able to read this am I? …Alas it was Alexander's studies and care which enabled the flower to blossom. Hm. How poetic."**

_Why are you reading about Alexander gardening?_

"**All right, now let's do this! Hya!"**

Daniel pulled the lever, praying it would work, before watching the bridge slowly creak down for him.

"…**Yay!**"

The bridge stopped six or seven feet too soon.

"**DAMNIT!**"

It took Daniel a moment, but he went to the bridge in a slow disbelief, looking up at it once he was down there.

"**Are you kidding me!**"

He went back to the lever and stared at the bridge before Lani began a sarcastic cry. Daniel returned to the bridge and even tried jumping up for it with Lani's accompanying sounds.

_What am I supposed to do now!_

"**Well god damnit!**"

A/N: I'm alive! I'm very sorry but this one was almost only on blip and it's a pain to use blip as a reference. Also, next chapter will either be out quicker because this was the boring part to me and I'll regain interest, or later because for English I get to illustrate the entire great Gatsby book-plus observational notes-as well as complete required volunteer work(love those oxymorons)for government class. Yay.


	9. Oh Daniel calm the hell down

Lani groaned.

"**God damnit…. Ok Daniel, what've we got to work with here? We got a jammed bridge…leads over to that room…we got this bridge…aaaaaand god damn it all.**"

There was a brief silence as the feeling of defeat sunk even deeper inside Daniel's heart.

_All I would need is some weight, a way to push the bridge down, but I can't even reach it from here and I can't throw my satchel as a test burden and risk losing it for good…hold on a moment…_

"**Wait! Hold on!**"

Daniel ran back to the machine room door and the levers. It was surprising he and Lani were more than likely on the same page with this plan, as reckless as it was.

"**This might be stupid….**"

_Believe me, it is…._

"**But we're good at stupid, right Daniel?**"

_Again, yes…._

Daniel pulled the lever of the fully-functional bridge and ran back with all of his speed. With a final jump he landed on the bridge just before it began rising up.

"**HAHA!**"

_I can't believe that actually worked!_

"**Yeah, this is brilliant!**"

The bridge rose to level with the other and slowly passed it as Daniel readied a jump that he knew he would regret.

"**Ok, now let's see, do I think I can jump…**"

Once the second bridge was at least a few yards away Daniel started to fear heights and hated himself for doing this at all.

"**Ok, this is a lot higher than I thought it was gonna be.**"

The bridge stopped and Daniel ran off of it in an adrenaline rush of fear as support and Lani giving grunts of false effort.

"**Go, Daniel!**"

He wanted to scream, yet he also watched time slow in his mind as the air pushed against his falling frame. With a loud thud Daniel crashed onto the bridge, feet first, possibly shattering his leg bones. He tottered and fell with the bridge as it lowered itself to level with the door.

"**BOOYAH!**"

Daniel could hardly see, he was in such immense pain even screaming would not help. His eyes watered with tears as he tried to pull himself together much earlier than any professional would recommend. He was losing consciousness and that was not something he could afford.

_I must remain awake…if nothing else I must stay awake…._

Lani made sounds of laughter and pain, most likely very amused and also astonished.

"**That was stupid! Ow, walk it off, Daniel, walk it off….**"

Despite that being impossible, Daniel tried to.

"**Oh, wow…you ok, Daniel?**"

_No…._

"**Let's see…oh, barely conscious. Don't worry, we got laudanum for that.**"

Daniel took out a vial of laudanum and greedily drank the contents. He was awake, but still in a lot of pain.

"**Wound is bleeding quite badly, I don't know where you're bleeding….**"

_Perhaps my literally bloody legs, you twat!_

Daniel drank a second vial's worth of laudanum and watched his world change. He could see perfectly fine again and his legs were in pain no more, in fact he could not feel them at all.

"**Oh, yeah, much better. Now, where are we heading?**"

Happy as could be, Daniel skipped off the bridge to the new door. He stumbled when he landed and listened to Lani tell him where the door led as he went inside.

"**The morgue! Charming…. Now you see, Daniel, at least you're going to the morgue alive…you know? We could have uh…could have killed you there.**"

_Oh nonsense you silly voice, I'm fit as a fiddle~. Perhaps not a fiddle, I'm not quite the right shape~!_

His gibberish was nonsensical but, in his state, Daniel found himself very amusing and even witty.

"'**Cause I'll have to admit, that was probably one of the dumbest things I've done in this game. I'm sure there must have been another way, but I don't care!**"

_I want honey now…._

"**I made Daniel suffer!**"

_Well that isn't a very nice thing to do Lani-Patty-Catty!_

The door opened to a long, dark passage.

"**Ah, how quaint. Let's look around here.**"

A bright light came with Daniel's first few steps.

"**AH!**"

Lani laugh-cried in pain.

_Pretty!_

"Do you see, Daniel? It has yielded."

"What?"

"The shadow."

Not liking the shadow, the crazed Daniel lit a candle.

"**The shadow knows all!**"

_Can we ask it directions then?_

"It has?"

"For now. Come, let's get this out of here so we can get some peace."

"Yes, let's. Where to?"

_I want to have sleepy-time, I'm tired…._

"Just down the corridor. To the morgue."

"**Ah….**"

"Are there more – dead men there?"

"You did well, Daniel. Come, let's get going."

"**Daniel!**"

Lani dragged out every syllable of Daniel's name like a particularly cross parent or instructor. Daniel instinctively shrunk in worry over being in trouble as a second pretty light came and disappeared.

"**What've we talked about killing people?**"

_I don't know…._

"**It's wrong!**"

_Sorry Mr. Lani…_

"**Bad Daniel!**"

Lani sighed as Daniel walked with his lantern in hopes there would be no further scolding.

"**What've we got? Blood path…**"

A rat hurried across the floor and Lani gasped in excitement.

_Mousey!_

"**A mar-mar! And this one actually walks, it's scampering, cute.**"

Play time would have to wait though, so Daniel explored the other direction.

"**Oh, what've we got?**"

As the two walked, or while Daniel walked and Lani somehow followed, Lani began another series of musical do's. Sounds of clanking metal came from above and Daniel briefly looked up.

"**Changeling** **chains.**"

Another turn and some odd steps later, Daniel was in what appeared to have at one point been a small storage space. Bones that had been picked clean were strewn about the blood stained floor as light poured down upon them.

_Weird._

Daniel continued without issue.

"**Bones. OW!**"

The pretty light was back. This time a new voice was in Daniel's head; presumably it belonged to a random prisoner.

"What? What happened? Why are all these dead…? Where am I? What's happening? Help! Anybody, help!"

"**No.**"

A second pretty flash took away the man's voice.

_You're mean Lani._

"**I see something glowing. Let's grab it, Daniel.**"

_Pretty?_

Across the floor of bones, a shelf case and a copper tube lying in wait. The copper shown in the adequate light and Daniel thankfully took it, as well as a vial of laudanum that was hiding a little bit away.

"**We have a copper tube and…more laudanum!**"

Daniel turned around and the light shown again.

_Pretty!_

"**WHAT?**"

"Two…three days now. This is ridiculous!"

"**Two in a row?**"

"Why doesn't someone come to this room? Hey! Anybody!"

"**Bargh! Blarblarblarguh!**"

"Am I all alone here? Help! Help!"

_I'm with you other voice._

"I'm so tired…if I sleep – will I wake from this nightmare? If not, I pray my heavenly Father will take me in my sleep."

The pretty light came and left.

"**Yeah something tells me you got taken in your sleep.**"

_We should go find where they took him then!_

With a confused motive, Daniel left the room.

"**Somebody broke down that wall.**"

_Door._

Daniel lit a candle with his vision growing fuzzy from his drunken-high state.

"**Daniel, would you please…please, stop freaking out man. Seriously, it's getting on my god damn nerves.**"

_I'm not freaking out, are you freaking out pretty light?_

The pretty light did not return.

_Aw…._

"**How much lantern oil do you got?**"

Daniel checked; less than a fourth remained and he had only two more jars.

"**Not a lot. Okay, we're gonna fill that up a little.**"

One jar's worth was added.

"**But we gotta start using this tinder, Daniel, 'cause uh…you don't got a lot of lantern oil left in ya'.**"

_There's oil inside me? Is that what this warm, red stuff coming out of my legs is? I didn't know oil was red…._

"**So come on.**"

_I'll use the red oil later then._

Daniel lit his lantern and ran down the halls, stopping at a lit candle that drew his attention.

_Pretty~._

"**Just run from place to place to keep your stupid ass sane…. Oh you're perfectly sane, Daniel. We can walk in the dark for a little while, can't we?**"

_I don't like darkness…._

Walking forward in darkness, Daniel lit a random candle before moving on without even stopping in its light. Soon Daniel saw a door thanks to his adjusting vision.

"**See? A door.**"

Daniel swung the door open and saw a decently lit room. There was another door across the room, some fallen rocks strewn across the floor, and a body lying on a table in his immediate line of sight.

"**And a light, and a dead body…. Huh?**"

_This one looks better than the others; he's still in one piece._

Without his usual sense of fear Daniel felt free to move right up to the corpse and investigate. The body was bald, naked, and laid across the table as if it were one solid board rather than a jointed man. The man's fingers were curled and stiff, and there were no visible wounds on his person. Lani laughed.

"**Haha, he has a wang.**"

While Daniel was in no condition to identify signs of rigor mortis or even comprehend most of what he was seeing, he could still identify voices. Alexander was clearly speaking to him again, inside his mind with Lani.

"I hear you breathing Daniel. Do you hear me? Have you changed your mind?"

"**About what?**"

_Helping…him…._

Daniel felt his mind grow clearer at a slow yet steady pace. Alexander was the last man he wanted in his head, though Lani was trying very hard to gain that position, but he did help him remember who he was and what he was doing. Sadly, he could also remember the pain in his legs which was now only dulled.

"**I don't – I don't think Alexander understands that I've, you know…totally….**"

_I…have to make progress._

Daniel closed the door behind him and looked around for anything useful. The dead body was not something he could pay attention to for long now so he opened the first door he saw.

"**What's in here?**"

A pile of corpses was in the center of the sunken room.

_Dear lord…._

There were about four steps down to where they laid and what looked like an oven in the back. Against his better judgment (something Daniel had been opposing a lot lately), Daniel went down to where the bodies were.

"**Corpses…and cockroaches…lots of dead guys….**"

The roaches hissed as Daniel looked upon the faces and backs of the dead. One was strewn across a thin strip of four steps that went up to the oven; he looked like he was trying to go inside it for some reason; possibly to reach the other dead body that was already in there and yet not burned. Daniel's ears were ringing and his vision began to waver. The pain in his legs far outweighed the pain his hand had gotten from the fire earlier and his lantern was once more his only salvation.

"**You gonna have issues here, Daniel?**"

_HOW ARE YOU NOT? I'm in a bloody morgue, literally, with countless dead around me and who knows how many more to come, Alexander can enter my mind anytime he pleases, there's still monsters in this castle, YOU are still in my head, and my legs are in excruciating pain and I may be unable to so much as walk after this whole ordeal if I even manage to make it out of here alive!_

In anger and confusion, Daniel stumbled his way across the room and around the bodies. He looked to the side and saw large slots where he could see the feet of the dead sticking out.

"**Daniel, it's a morgue! What did you expect! Stop freaking out!**"

_Expecting something doesn't always make it easier, Lani!_

Daniel had to leave that place, and with labored steps he did. He put out his lantern and went back to the single dead body in the front room. The sight was still less than bearable.

"**Ok…let's look around, there's gotta be something.**"

Across the room bookshelves lined the walls and various bottles filled their shelves.

"**Bottles…paper!**"

_Oh thank God._

Lani read aloud.

Plague Outbreak

The strange deaths among the servants and the prisoners have finally been resolved. It seems that the drain sewer which has recently been opened up for use as a means of transport is plagued by a peculiar poisonous fungi.

The victims seem to have suffered an extremely quick outbreak of sickness effecting the entire body. Some of my men, including myself, are blissfully spared by this calamity but it is clear that this cripples my progress. The prisoners die quickly and their contaminated vitae lacks the energy I seek.

I shall immediately start working on a vaccine.

_Yes, but what IS the vaccine? At least tell me where you store it!_

Daniel collected a nearby tinderbox as he attempted to calculate his odds of finding the cure among the various bottles.

"**Tinder.**"

In the room was a desk with a chair that had been knocked over.

_Of course, there's always a desk._

On the desk was a second sheet of paper, hopefully one more useful. First though, Daniel checked the side compartment. He found another one of those strange cylinders he believed to hold the short diaries of Alexander.

"**Hey one of these things again.**"

Daniel reached out for it and saw the blinding light come forth.

"**Covering the eyes.**"

As Daniel suffered through the light, Lani read aloud in his mocking voice before choosing a more dramatic approach.

"**I fear for Daniel, for he is reckless. He is tainted by the approaching shadow and will not be able to pass the gate. Will he be able to accept this in the end? My love, I've seen evil in him. How am I to trust him with the truth? What cruel irony that I have to do unto him what Agrippa did unto me.**"

Lani grew silent as the light faded away. Daniel's vision was restored as he grew only angrier and angrier.

_I'm evil, am I? Alexander, you are the one who killed these men! You created these hell beasts that follow me! You have done nothing but wrong and try to justify it all by saying it is for your love! You are the monster, not I! This love of yours must be a poor soul if she loves you in return! I still know nothing about this woman either, for all I know she could be a man! For someone you cherish you spend no time speaking about them. You are some form of alien monster and I shall have you destroyed!_

"**I wonder who he's talking to.**"

_As well as Lani!_

Daniel took the paper from the desk and began reading, the sooner he could find a way to Alexander the better. Lani read aloud with both mumbles and full words.

Vaccine Trials

The vaccine enabling my men to work in the fungi-ridden sewer is a definite success. Unfortunately, only a few of the servants have been remedied as the procedure proved difficult. The others will perish, and eventually I will have to create more of them to keep my experiments running.

Note that an injection of vaccinated blood will work as a shield long enough to pass the sewers without any risk of infection. It will do fine for prisoner transport.

…_._

"**Ok…**"

Daniel looked to the body on the table and slowly approached it.

"**I get the feeling that what I'm about to do is the…LEAST sanitary thing I could possibly do.**"

The body was still stiff from rigor mortis; it could not be more than a day old. Whatever the event that cleared out all living prisoners happened was, it had happened very recently.

_Oh God…._

Daniel lit the candle on the table to work by.

"**Oh well. You're looking pretty good. Eh…you know I…ugh….**"

Daniel tried to focus his sight on the man's head, he had to block out all distractions and try to forget his fear and disgust.

"**There we go. Ok, now I need to jab this guy….**"

_Please stop speaking._

Searching through his items, Daniel considered the hollow needle from his time in the water; it would be too fragile though.

"**So, uh…nope. But that's definitely part of it. Uh…chisel a hole in him?**"

_No._

"**Nope, ok. Let's go with the drill.**"

It was the only thing Daniel had that might work, so he took the drill and forced the point through the man's skull with the crank. There was a disturbing series of cracking sounds as Daniel worked as well as Lani's sounds of disgust; he had some standards apparently. The hand drill broke once Daniel had finished; it would be of no further use.

"**Yep…. WHAT? I was drilling through wood with that!**"

_Bone is thicker than wood you imbecile!_

Blood was coming from the man's head at an alarming rate and Daniel had to think fast.

"**Oh God, he's draining, um…maybe this?**"

Daniel managed to shove the copper tube from before into the newly formed hole. The blood stream was thinner but still fast.

"**Eh – ew! Uh, do I just – uh, ok?**"

The tube could not be used to penetrate skin, something thinner was needed; the needle. Daniel took the hallow needle and combined it with the tube to fashion something just right for the job. All that was left was what was possibly the worst part. Daniel stepped back before coming closer at a different angle. He thought about it and stepped away again; afraid of continuing.

"**Yep, possibly the least sanitary thing I could ever do in my life. Welp, Daniel, have fun!**"

Daniel stuck himself with the needle and closed his eyes. He could feel the stream of blood enter his body as he slowly felt himself drift away from consciousness. For some time now he had been chased and injured; he was obviously tired as well as mentally scared. The last thing he recognized before he went out was Lani's voice.

"**OWOWOWOWOW! That sounded disgusting….**"

When Daniel came to he had to gasp for air. His ears were ringing and he was still by the table. He tried to restore his senses and check his safety by looking around the room; nothing had changed.

"**Gross.**"

_Please, Lani, just shut up._

"**Fucking gross.**"

_Ugh…._

Daniel wanted to leave this place immediately, both to insure that this solution would last him long enough and to leave this horrible place of the dead. As he reached for the door, what should have been the painfully predictable happened; there was a bang. A monster had come from somewhere while Daniel was blacked out but the unlikelihood of that was outweighed by Daniel's panic as he ran to the first hiding place he could think of: the room of corpses.

"**Jesus!**"

Lani was more annoyed than scared as per usual. Daniel closed the door behind him and ran to the corner by the human-sized oven.

"**Hide with the corpses, Daniel!**"

He crouched in a place of false safety, looking out at the pile of dead and the strips of light available. His blood, as well as the dead man's, boiled inside him with fear as his head began pounding once more. A sort of groaning came from across the way in the next room; the monster had to be skulking about.

"**That one sounded different.**"

Lani was right, the groan was deeper than usual. Daniel drifted in place with his swirling vision as his mind grew independent from his body and his self. To draw his sanity back, Daniel lit his lantern. He inched forward to the light from the ceiling, but quickly retracted when his senses briefly returned.

"**Daniel, calm the hell down, you already know that there are monster here! And you already know that there are dead bodies. It's not like this is anything out of the ordinary…Christ, man.**"

_It's still too horrible for words…._

Lani's complaints and sarcasm were not as helpful as they usually were. Daniel's mind was so far gone he needed a firm grip to pull him out of insanity and back to his normal self.

"**YOU JUST INJECTED YOURSELF WITH DEAD GUY BLOOD!**"

_SHUT UP!_

Or to drag him further down.

"**This is nowhere NEAR as bad as what you just did!**"

_I know! I know…._

Daniel's breathing was shaky as labored. He redrew his lantern and stepped out from his corner.

"**Daniel, seriously, calm the fuck down, you're freaking me out man.**"

_Oh, I'm freaking YOU out?_

Daniel moved closer and closer to the ceiling's light, hypnotized by the promise of sunlight to come when this nightmare was finished. Bodies now lay beneath his feet as he carelessly climbed atop them. There were no sounds.

"**This thing's not even attempting to come in here.**"

Only seconds past before Lani returned to his half-hearted music.

"**Lalalala, lalalala, dead guy song! How're you feeling, Daniel?**"

_Not well…._

"**Hahaha, ellipses, cute.**"

Daniel hung his head and looked at the mass of flesh beneath him. Dirt stained and stiffened bodies created an almost solid pile. He had to look back up, with the occasional glance back.

"**Stand on the corpses.**"

Daniel swayed where he stood, still not fully recovered from his recent blood transfusion.

"**Wow, you're moving around…not so hot anymore, Daniel…. We are dangerously close to complete insanity.**"

_The light from above is that of heaven…._

The lantern was lit and Daniel stepped down from his throne of death. Lani spoke in a dream like voice.

"**Look at the lantern, Daniel. Look at the lantern. Pretty lantern.**"

Daniel stared up above him at a lantern on the ceiling that hardly gave any light. It was useless to him at this point but he stared nonetheless. Daniel jumped for it. He wanted that light.

"**It's lit, come on Daniel, there's a light here. There's a light. It's light, Daniel!**"

Daniel's vision continued to swirl and he lit his own lantern. His lantern's light was better.

"**Oh for fuck's sake…. Is that monster still there?**"

There had been no sounds, and Daniel was too far gone for paranoid fear. He swung the door open; there was nothing. What had been there before was there, save the front door, and Daniel followed to the candle by the single dead man he now shared a bond with.

"**Let's stand here…give you some time, calm your ass down…get you a nice juice box….**"

Daniel looked around himself and at the man's body. The needle he had fashioned was still lodged in the man's head.

"**Hey, look what you did to him, Daniel. Yep. You happy with that? Yeah, there's no need to inject the blood again but God only knows if I'll find need for another needle. Huh? Yeah, don't wanna salvage that shit, Daniel?**"

_No…not that…._

"**Don't want to bring a drill bit?**"

_It broke…it has no more use…._

"**Nothing?**"

_No…._

"**How about a pair of shears?**"

Daniel took the shears from the table, they seemed as useless as the previous shears he had found.

"**Never know when you'll find use for these, huh?**"

_Never…._

He flung the shears away and saw them actually rebound off the man's thigh.

"**That sounded disgusting…wonder what I can do to him.**"

Lani began making odd noises once more as Daniel took the scalpel and slid it under the man where the shears had hit. He was not sure why he did this, he simply needed busy work to keep his mind focused on a task.

"**Did I just…? I just stuck that in him…ew.**"

_It's not in him; there isn't even any blood…._

"**Ok, Daniel, come on! Stick with me! Listen to my voice, Daniel.**"

_I have no other choice._

"**You're gonna get through this…I'm gonna stop looking at the guy's wang though.**"

Daniel had been staring at the light from the candle, but he turned is head so Lani could not complain about anything in his line of sight. Of course then he could not see the candle so he turned back and just lowered his vision.

"**There you go, just stare directly into the candle…and the blood on the floor…. Deep breathes, Daniel…deep breathes. Let this guy's blood just flow through your body, we're gonna make through this!**"

_SHUT UP, LANI, SHUT UP!_

"**We're gonna make it through this.**"

_Perhaps I will but once I'm sane you are finished!_

"**Man, you're really…really not happy with the fact that you just injected yourself with this guy's blood….**"

_NO I AM NOT! Now kindly be silent about it before I kill us bothe just to escape you!_

"**Either that, or laying in the corpse pile – which I'm sorry! – but it was the only, real hiding place I could think of at the time.**"

_Both, now just let me recover some, my legs hurt the less my head does…._

"**Gonna…gonna be ok here, Daniel? Huh?**"

_No…._

"**I'm just gonna let you cool down for a second.**"

By some miracle Lani was silent. Time crawled by as Daniel listened to the small cracks of the candle's fire. His legs burned in pain and he could not take it much longer. Among the various bottles and supplies there were bandages; it was odd but not the strangest thing to find here. He tended to his legs as best he could. There was no water to clean away the dried blood and his legs were still bleeding a bit underneath the thick coating. Daniel wrapped the bandages tight enough to assure they would stay but loose enough so as not to impair his movement. Once he finished, Daniel tried some practice steps before resolving to rest awhile longer by a different candle, the one at the desk with the capsule in its compartment. Some time went by before Lani spoke and ruined Daniel's phase of healing and being productive.

"**Yeah, Daniel and I decided to move over to this candle so we're not looking at corpse wang. Seems a lot better of a choice honestly.**"

_First, I have no issues with that, though I don't prefer to be by a naked man be he dead or alive. Second, who are you speaking to? Third and finally, why could you not stay away?_

Lani sighed.

"**How're we doing, Daniel? …oh! You're feeling much better.**"

_My head is pounding and I'm still shaking horribly, I can hardly call that better._

"**Welp, while I'm here I might as well check these drawers.**"

Daniel remembered he had forgotten to and began pulling out the desk's drawers.

"**Nothing…laudanum!**"

_Thank the heavens!_

Greedily, Daniel took the vial of sweet, green liquid and tucked it away.

"**And…tinder! Ok. Now, there's one more door that we haven't checked, Daniel, so let's open her up.**"

Daniel was still a bit out of it, and when he opened the door it swung too quickly and hit him.

"**Ow.**"

_As if you felt that._

Rubbing his head, Daniel moved around the door and inside. There was another pile of dead bodies, only this room had water.

"**Hey, another corpse room…how awesome.**"

While both water and the dead were things Daniel preferred to avoid he had to search as much as he could; he never knew when he may run out of needed materials or forget something useful behind.

"**Op, here comes the bells again.**"

_What does that even mean!_

As soon as Daniel knew there was nothing of use he left the small room of water and death, closing the door behind him.

"**Not entirely sure the need for the water, but…maybe it just keeps the corpses fresh? I don't know. What else do we got here? Anything in here that I didn't see?**"

Daniel poked his head into the room he had hid in earlier before admitting her would have to search by going inside again. He lit his lantern and looked over each space in the wall that was made to house bodies, though only two were in use. The dead were given no respect, and Daniel knew that if he died here his postmortem fate would be even worse.

"**Oh no, Daniel's freaking out again.**"

His ears were ringing as he continued along the walls of the room, checking every corner and hiding place. Daniel was losing his mind and Lani was becoming bored, so Daniel left the room for the candle that had been his friend when Lani was silent for that glorious time.

"**Ok, I assume that's everything here, but now Daniel's flipping the fuck out.**"

Correction: Lani was becoming annoyed.

"**Feeling better, Daniel?**"

Lani sighed and Daniel chose to leave with his head pounding away.

"**Let's go back out into the sewer thing, maybe that monster's gone.**"

_Knowing our luck it's around a few corners and we'll have to hide with the bodies again, if not become one._

A few turns later and things were remaining calm.

"**You know that monster didn't seem so bad; would've ended Daniel's horrible run of luck.**"

_That is not how I want this to end, especially after coming so far._

Amazingly, Daniel exited out to the cistern without incident.

"**And guess what, Daniel? Now that we're filled with dead man blood…**"

_Will you stop reminding me!_

"**We can get going!**"

Daniel looked up and saw the raised platform he had jumped from. That was something he wished to never do again.

"**Isn't that wonderful?**"

_Truly._

Down the ladder he went with Lani still in his head, loud as ever.

"**Down we go….**"

Daniel jogged back to the attached area and lit his lantern. He entered the section filled with the green smog of poison and did not feel the same way he had earlier.

_At least it was worth it._

"**See? We can breathe down here now, Daniel.**"

At the bottom of some more stairs was a thick metal door that was completely engulfed by the green gas. Daniel knew not where it led, but he was sure Lani would announce it.

"**Awesome. The sewers.**"

_Wonderful…._


	10. Awww Daniel's making friends

"**All right, Daniel…so these are the sewers, huh?**"

Daniel was in a small square of space after walking through the door. There was a gate that opened freely for him and led to another square of space, a large expanse of empty space with no floor, and a ladder downwards.

"**Let's see what we got…a ladder…**"

The space was small but Daniel searched it nonetheless. He found nothing.

"**This darkness doesn't seem to be bugging you that much; I'm liking it.**"

Daniel went down the ladder to what was probably the less sanitary part of his adventure. Considering what he had done just a few minutes ago, tat was quite the statement.

"**Let's get going.**"

Lani sang his series of Dos as Daniel descended before stepping down into shallow water.

_Why is it always water…._

"**Lots of water, I'm not liking that.**"

Daniel took a few faltering steps before he heard the groan of a monster.

_Damnit all!_

He ran back to the ladder and back up to his space of safety.

"**Oh God damnit…already? Come on, Daniel, let's climb! Climb, Daniel! Climb!**"

_Shut up, Lani!_

"**What's behind us?**"

_I hope to never know._

Daniel looked down and watched for anything to appear, to be certain of any danger. He saw nothing but water.

"**I can't see it!**"

_Let's hope it stays that way!_

"**Nope, still can't see it; that's just a pipe.**"

Daniel reached the top of the ladder and ran for the first small room to hide behind the thin stretch of wall by the gate as Lani mocked him.

"**Hide, Daniel! Hide!**"

He closed the gate behind him and crouched down. Lani huffed.

"**Already? Already, Daniel?**"

_Believe me, Lani, if I had any form of control over this there wouldn't be any monsters in the first place!_

"**You know, that might be a new personal record, going through an **_**entire**_** space before dealing with a monster.**"

Lani huffed louder.

"**Well…waiting 'em out.**"

The series of Dos came into play again.

"**Music seems to have calmed down, Daniel.**"

_If you mean you half-hearted attempt then of course it has._

Daniel started down the ladder hoping Lani was referring to the music only he could hear that apparently warned of a monster attack.

"**Good thing monsters like to beat drums and play trumpets and shit when they come show up, huh? We'd be kinda screwed if they were just quiet and snuck up on you.**"

_As far as I'm concerned that is how they behave; aside from the groans of course._

With a splash Daniel dismounted the ladder and landed into the water.

"**Into the waist-deep water, doesn't that sound…lovely?**"

There was no sound of danger as Daniel kept moving, but then again the water could easily overpower a lot of sounds.

"**And the swimming ratty-rats.**"

_The last thing we need is a swarm of your little pets, Lani,._

"**Ok…wonder where that one came from?**"

At the end of the water-filled sewer hall was another metal contraption. Daniel was not sure what to call it or even what its purpose was, but he knew it would become an obstacle. There was a series of metal bars laid horizontally across an opening to create a circle shape. They were spinning rapidly so nothing could pass and water was splashing and rippling beneath it.

_On the bright side my movements will be silent compared to this water, but on the downside the same could be said about a monster's movements._

"**Ok….**"

There were open paths to both the left and the right, neither of which gave any indication as to where they led.

"**We got a motor…**"

_That term will do._

Daniel took a step towards it and a flash appeared.

"**And a bright fucking light, thank you!**"

The voice was one of a prisoner Daniel thought he had heard before, but they had all run together in his mind after hearing so many.

"What's happening? What are you doing! Let me go! Please don't take me – nobody ever returns…."

"**Do I have to jam a corpse into that thing? 'Cause that'd be hilarious.**"

_You are psychotic!_

The flash showed itself again and left shortly thereafter.

"**I could fill it with Daniel's corpse!**"

Daniel faltered in fear. He edged himself to and frow, to and away from the motor to get a better look before becoming afraid that he would become nothing more than a corpse inside it.

"**That'd end my misery.** **Huh?**"

_I have a right to hate you, what's your excuse!_

"**Ok, so odds are that's where I have to go…so I'm gonna force Daniel to do some stupid shit on the way.**"

_I'd like to see you try._

Daniel went left first.

"**What've we got here, Daniel?**"

At the end of the short hall was three paths, but two of them were closed off with bars. The third had the same bars but they were cut and bent away.

"**Barricade…barricade…broken path. Let's go to the broken path.**"

_I hope whatever did that is not still here…._

Daniel thought this more for the sake of thought; he knew whatever did that had to still be alive and had an extremely high chance of still being here. About two or three yards away was another three-way break in the path. Daniel went right and saw a strange hole above him that was rounded by stone and allowed light to shine down.

"**Pipe…**"

_I'm not sure we can call it that but go ahead._

Further back was a broken ladder and a stone wall. If the ladder had been intact this may have been useful, but as is it was a needless detour.

"**Nothing here.**"

_Ugh, I'm wasting too much time in this foul smelling place!_

Daniel jogged across the way to what was previously the left direction.

"**Sploosh, sploosh, sploosh!**"

Upon entering the square of space Daniel managed to whimper and gasp at the same time, a talent he had been refining quite often, as his surroundings did their cruel trick of shaking and acting as if they would kill him. Daniel held on to a pile of boulders to keep himself grounded as the sewers calmed themselves. Lani, like always, was completely unaffected.

"**Lots of rocks.**"

Daniel wanted to roll his eyes but he took to his own routine of searching for tools instead.

"**Ok…. Anything on the rocks? Anything by the rocks? Apparently not.**"

With nothing new Daniel went down the only untraveled path left. Water was spilling over a section of wall to the right like a small waterfall. Lani sighed.

"**Water….**"

The path split two ways, but one direction was stopped by more bars.

"**Door…path…**"

Daniel moved closer to look past and investigate. Lani sounded bored again and Daniel took his droll tone as a sign to move on down the open path.

"**Let's go to door.**"

The sewer walls repeated their cruel joke, but it sounded more like an echoing roar. Daniel did not want to risk his life by assuming it was the first, so he ran for a hiding place.

"**Back to the…whatever, Daniel. Don't need to deal with shit. Oh, it's not playing music though. That means it's not there.**"

_Good enough, I just want to leave._

Daniel continued on while trying to act as if nothing had scared him.

"**See the things we can avoid by listening to music!**"

There was a short and wide staircase that led to a dry level, glorious dry stone awaiting, and Daniel climbed up, after taking a final look about, as his leaving the water made more sounds for Lani to imitate.

"**Blub, bloop.**"

Immediately up the stairs was a door, and inside was a rather large room. Metal was clanking away again and Daniel's main hope was that this would be easier than the machines from earlier were. A barrel of oil sat in the room and Daniel graciously filled his lantern with what was available.

"**Lantern oil! …awesome.**"

The machinery looked simple, but then again the previous ones had too, as there was a lever for each and only three locations for them to be moved to.

"**Umm…giant machine! I assume you have something to do with that motor I was dealing with earlier….**"

Daniel took the lever of the right machine and pulled it to the left. It sounded a touch different now and Daniel took down a brief note. He took the left machine's lever and pulled it right. The clanking sounds of machinery were louder still. Daniel started to move the lever back but abandoned it when Lani spoke.

"**Let's see what Daniel wrote down.**"

_Might as well, if he has anything useful to say I won't deny the opportunity._

The journal was pulled from the satchel and Daniel opened to his note for Lani to read.

"**The two levers control the noisy machine.**"

Daniel tucked the journal away again.

"**Oh thank you, Daniel! You are ever the beacon of hope!**"

_SHUT UP!_

Daniel pulled the left lever to the left and heard the machine become quieter.

"**Hey, that appeared to slow it down.**"

_Oh thank you, Lani! You are ever the beacon of hope! Arse…._

Daniel took the right lever and pulled it to the right. The machine was as quiet as it would become with Daniel breaking the whole thing.

"**Wow…it's actually really quiet now…I think I did something right for once.**"

_YOU DIDN'T DO A BLOODY THI – ugh, never mind!_

"**Huh…ok.**"

Lani began his Dos as Daniel left. The moment Daniel's foot landed at the start of the stairs a monster groaned from somewhere and Daniel turned immediately to hide in the machine room.

"**Son of a goddamn bitch!**"

The door was closed when Daniel ran around looking for something he could hide behind.

"**Let's hide under these pipes, I guess, huh?**"

Daniel crawled under the three thick pipes that were positioned just right that he could fit.

"**It can't see you down here, Daniel.**"

_Oh glory fucking day, Lani!_

Daniel stared out at the door in aggravated horror. He was always afraid when this happened but there was always an annoyance as well; Daniel just assumed Lani was rubbing off on him.

"**Come on, monster, try me! Can you even reach me through these things?**"

_Yes, yes it can._

"**Huh? You're a bitch!**"

_Oh yes, insult the hell beast, that'll end well!_

"…**Almost as much of a bitch as Daniel! Right, Daniel?**"

…_I hate you…so much, Lani._

"**Still there though, that uh…it's playing its nice big bass drum….**"

Lani began singing, if what he did could be considered singing, his DOs again.

"**I don't even think it's gonna try and get in here.**"

There were no sounds to indicate otherwise.

"**Monsters are retarded aren't they, Daniel?**"

_They're very deadly though, Lani._

Daniel dared to leave his hiding place, praying that Lani was right as he sometimes was. He was still shaking as a monster's threat was not easily forgotten, but he tried to distract himself by going over his things. In his satchel was one jar of oil, four vials of precious laudanum, a glass jar, a crank with no known purpose, his journal, twelve tinderboxes, a hammer and chipper, and of course his lantern. The lantern particularly pleased him as the oil level was more than three-fourths full; this was a small victory in Daniel's eyes, and he knew that was sad.

"**How're you feeling by the way? Head pounding, hands shaking, yeah, yeah – oh my god, all that lantern oil!**"

_It's so beautiful._

"**Oh that's delicious.**"

Daniel let his things be in his satchel and went to leave. There were no threatening sounds, and staying here would only give them time to appear.

"**Monster's gone!**"

_Sure thing, Lani. Every time you say that: it's true._

"**Watch: it's not; it just decided to take a break from its drumming.**"

Daniel opened the door before Lani's taunts could make him stay in fear of something that was not even there. Lani snuffled or withheld a sneeze before giving a small sigh of relief as Daniel went back towards the water.

_I hate the water…._

Daniel's feet splashed lightly in the water as he observed out of the two available paths one was immediately stopped by the metal bars.

"**Where did it come from?**"

_Obviously the open path, Lani._

"**Like, has it just been following me? I guess…I mean that must be the case, right?**"

Daniel shook as he continued down the water-filled halls. Lani was without a doubt the worst voice to have in one's head.

_Why not one of those voices that simply tells you to burn things, or perhaps an unsophisticated prankster of sorts? Even that idea of a hysterical woman seems heavenly compared to YOU. I bet if there was a woman in my head she would understand the gravity of these situations, though of course the poor dear would be scared to death of such a ghoulish place, not that I could blame her…._

"**I'm missing anything in here? Oo, a ladder.**"

Daniel had returned to the dead end with a sky light f sorts and, given his options, tried to jump up to the ladder in the upper opening. Lani gave a grunt of fake effort as Daniel failed to grab the wooden bars and landed with a splash.

"**Right, right, Daniel has the lower-body strength of a twelve-year-old.**"

_I BEG YOUR PARDON!_

Daniel continued away from the ladder with a silent huff. Lani could be a right arse if he did not think about it; which he usually did not.

"**Uhh…mushrooms…and ratty-rats….**"

_Ugh._

Daniel continued on still down the halls that were all too often blocked by metal bars as Lani resumed his Dos.

"**More water…we're back down this path….**"

There was a particularly large pipe in the wall just out of reach, but even if Daniel could reach it he was not so sure about where it would lead or if he would want to go in it unless it proved vital to his quest – if not survival.

"**Maybe I can Mario this.**"

_What? Who's Mario, and how does he fit into this situation at all? Can he help us?_

"**JOO-JOO-JOO!**"

…_I…I just cannot understand how you keep amazing me after this long, Lani. It is truly a talent._

"**Nah, that'd be silly.**"

_YOU - ….just…ugh…._

While arguing wordlessly with Lani, Daniel had reached the point where the motor was. The motor was crawling in the circle formation it had dashed in just before.

"**Hey! It's moving a lot slower now.**"

_Thank you, Lani._

"**But, Daniel…odds are if you go in there you're probably gonna die, because you're weak as shit.**"

_IT IS A MACHINE OF DEATH, LANI! …Even if it is moving slowly…WELL YOU CAN'T DO IT, CAN YOU MR. VOICE? NO! SO STOP INSULTING ME!_

"**Hi, pipe.**"

Another large pipe was available at Daniel's level. Traveling through one was still an undesirable option, but it was an option; at least until Daniel saw inside it.

"**Aw man, that thing's **_**clogged**_**. No wonder they needed explosives to get that shit done, look at that!**"

Daniel lit his lantern to see inside better. There was what appeared to be a boulder or a large metal bullet of sorts inside the pipe stopping any form of flow.

_Life really does hate me…._

"**Man, that thing's just solid mass! What the hell are they feeding these people!**"

_My guess is nothing along with the solid, moldy bread we found earlier._

Daniel walked along the halls again in search of either an alternate way out of here or something to help him move across where the motor was.

"**Ee…blocked path….**"

Along the way Daniel found a tinderbox sitting in a large, though not human-sized, pipe. It was not wet and it had not fallen over. How tinderboxes seemed to always be unharmed and waiting for him Daniel did not know, but given the other oddities of this castle that was not too bad.

"**What an odd place to keep tinder. I wonder if this tinder's even useful, being all wet like this.**"

Now with thirteen tinderboxes Daniel and Lani continued.

"**Rocks…pipe….**"

At another dead end there was a thin pipe jutting out of the wall. The pipe was broken near the base and was barely hanging on to where it was. If the pipe was weak enough Daniel could break it free and used to clog the motor.

"**Hm…OO, I can grab it!**"

…_no words, Lani. No words._

"**This must be what I need to destroy that machine.**"

The pipe looked loose; it would come free easily.

"**Yes, this pipe seems to be loose, let's break it, Daniel.**"

Daniel took hold of the pipe and pulled at it. The pipe broke almost instantly and Daniel added it to his satchel, even though it did awkwardly jut out from the bag.

"**All right! Now if a monster comes and fucks with me I can beat it with a pipe! No, I can't, Daniel's too weak.**"

_Damnit all, Lani!_

Lani huffed as Daniel jogged his way back towards the motor.

"**It's a sad day.**"

_Oh shut up, Lani._

Soon they had arrived back at the motor and Daniel took out the pipe to set his plan into motion.

"**All right, Daniel…since I know you can't use the pipe as a weapon, cause you're a weak douche - ! Let's jam it.**"

Daniel imagined the motor was Lani and stabbed the pipe forward. The motor came to an abrupt halt when it recognized the foreign obstacle. Daniel ducked under, hoping that the motor would not break free and start again. The other side was spacious and, of course, filled with water. Water spilled over the walls again and the fog combined with the odd architecture made it difficult to determine how many directions Daniel could go; it was apparently one.

"**Yep…. That's basically how it goes, huh Daniel?**"

_Why was there even a motor there? Who designed these pathways?_

"**Foggy room…welp, foggy room's my only choice I guess, huh?**"

Lani hummed merrily as he and Daniel entered the hall past the stone archway of a door that housed an absurd amount of green fog. Then the Dos came.

_That syllable will haunt my nightmares more than the beasts, I swear it…._

When Daniel could see fairly well again he saw only one available path amongst the turns; one way was upstairs and dry and the other was blocked by a few pipes that had broken a tad in two places.

"**Room upstairs…pipe…that thing seems broken, but I'll go to the room upstairs first.**"

Lani had an obsession with musical DOs as he continued them while Daniel climbed up the stairs. Daniel's legs were stinging more from the air and the added weight of his wet clothing. The water, filthy as it doubtlessly was, did have a calming effect of his wounds though so long as he was submerged. Lani noted a pile of small stones on the ground.

"**Rocks.**"

Opening the door alone sent Daniel into panic and his ears to ringing. The red flesh was spread on the walls and floor, making Daniel's head pound relentlessly. He closed the door behind him so no monsters could find him as he fell into panic. Then again, being in a confined space with the red flesh was probably even worse than leaving the door open.

"**Did I do something wrong here, or…?**"

A large blob of the flesh to the left pulsed up and down. Along the trail of whatever the red tissue was Daniel spotted what he thought to be the lower half of the first breed of monster. Not even a yard away from it was the upper half, minus the arms.

_Revenge is sweet…._

"**Wat? – HEY!**"

Daniel grabbed the upper half and lifted it with a grin.

_That's at least one down._

"**Hey monster! FUCK YOU!**"

Daniel smashed the beast against the ground; it felt good to fight back. The thing was dead and had no sense of this, but it was satisfying just the same. Alexander's voice entered Daniel's mind without warning, but Daniel was already lost to insanity and joy from his fears and false triumph.

"Daniel! Turn around this instant. You are carrying the Shadow with you!"

Lani laughed.

"**Yeah, I am, look at him!**"

As the monster's half was animated by Daniel Lani provided it with a voice.

"**BLARBLARGBLARBLARBLAR!**"

_I don't think this is part of the shadow per say, but it has haunted me none the less!_

Lani chuckled as he ceased his impression.

"**What do you think, monster? Not so tough now that you're DEAD!**"

_HAHA~!_

Lani laughed much more calmly than Daniel inwardly did as he held his trophy over himself towards the ceiling. Another small skylight covered by decorative metal was over head.

"**Hey look, one of those things.**"

Daniel continued his celebration by tossing his prize upwards and allowing it to fall to the red hell-flesh below.

"**Daniel, is that really the hardest you can throw?**"

_Why do you think I only dare to get this close to a dead one of these?_

Daniel picked the monster-half back up.

"**Oh my god…**"

He tossed it forward to try and make things easier. The part of the monster gently flew and barely hit the large bulb of red flesh against the wall; it landed without a scratch.

"**You are the **_**weakest**_**…USELESS….**"

No longer in the mood for games, thanks to Lani's words of encouragement, Daniel went to explore through the only other door. Once past the arch the walls shook with the roar of a very alive monster. It was no longer safe, and Daniel drew his usual shaky breathes as he ventured deeper into the room. A few feet away he came to a dead end of a pile of boulders that released a white fog of sorts just as previous piles had done.

"**Breathing rocks….**"

The "breathing rocks" usually meant danger, and Daniel was happy to leave them.

"**Eviscerated monster…. Laudanum.**"

_Thank the heavens._

Daniel collected the vial that sat by the archway before having a brief look around. When he left too quickly something was always waiting.

"**We got like…we got like nothing here. Ok….**"

That was plenty of time. Daniel went on and out the door. There was silence save the calm movements of water. Down the stairs there was nothing, and not a sound was made until Daniel reached the step just before the water. A loud noise involving metal, some sliding or hitting, came and Daniel wasted no time before turning and running back for the hell-room that was more than likely the safest place to be.

"**Woah! Running the other way again.**"

Daniel shut the door and ran for the area with the boulders. Lani replaced his DOs with DAs, but it was essentially the same. The corner by the door was Daniel's best bet for safety and he crouched down, trying to control his breathes.

"**Hiding in here….**"

Lani had odd ways of keeping himself entertained, but so long as no monsters could hear him that was fine with Daniel. His latest time consuming piece was a scene between a generic man and Daniel taking place after this nightmare.

"**So, Daniel, what'd you do today? OH, I went to a, uh…ancient, horrible, evil castle and…killed a bunch of people, got chased by monsters. It was all right. How'd you spend your weekend, **_**Dave**_**!**"

There was a clear bang against the door across the room.

"**Uh-oh.**"

It hit again. Daniel held his breathe and Lani was silent for a short while before speaking again.

"**I don't like the way this is going.**"

There was a pause.

"**Stay hiding, Daniel….**"

Daniel dipped into Lani's sarcasm.

_Must I? Because I had the urge to run out and greet it! GOD, LANI!_

"**It can smell your fear….**"

If that was true Daniel would surely die unless his fear smelled of something awful and the monster just let him be.

"**Then again, from here, so can I.**"

_Oh, ha-ha, Lani._

Lani restarted with those infernal DOs.

"**So, Daniel, this is either going to be the end for you…or that thing is just not gonna bother checking this room and leave.**"

_Please be the latter, PLEASE be the latter…._

There was silence.

"**Thus far, it seems totally preoccupied doing whatever the hell else it's doing…. Maybe it's playing with the corpse-thing like I was doing.**"

_Yes…well…._

"**That thing was entertaining.**"

It was silent still.

"**No shit, it left?**"

Lani was usually right about when these creatures were gone so Daniel deemed it all right to risk a glance. He stayed low a slowly inched his way to the archway so that he could look out; there was nothing.

"**No shit? …WOW.**"

Daniel stood himself up and slowly reentered the larger room.

"**Monsters have SEVERE attention-deficit-disorder.**"

_I've never heard of such a disorder, but given its obvious meaning I hope the creatures do have it._

Quite possibly a victim of ADD himself, Daniel noticed the corpse and felt the urge to play with it one last time. He was like a child with their favorite doll.

"**Isn't that right -**"

Daniel reached for the corpse and was promptly greeted with the explosion of the puss-filled, red flesh bulb and the scorching of his skin. Lani gave many loud noises of pain as if he had felt them himself. Daniel would have screamed with him, but much to his disgust part of the explosion had lodged itself in his throat and the need to scream had passed by the time his esophagus was clear again.

"…**OW! BASTARD PUSS-BAGS! I was trying to grab my friend, monster!**"

Daniel crouched low and snuck his way to grab the corpse.

_I will not have suffered for nothing. If I had to be hurt I will at least claim my reward._

"**Isn't that right, Ghoulie!**"

Being more cautious this time, Daniel successfully retrieved the upper half of the dead monster. Lani was quite ecstatic over the achievement and every word of his oozed with glee and mockery.

"**Huh? Isn't that right, Ghoulie!**"

Sadly that mockery included Daniel. Lani still acted as if he spoke for Daniel even though both had acknowledged him as a mere voice.

"_**That's right, Daniel! RADEDEDADE!**_"

Lani chuckled at his impression.

_I'll play along, but only because you can't break my happiness over this thing's death simply by disrespecting me as per usual._

So long as Lani was disrespecting Daniel, Daniel may as well disrespect the monster that had caused him malice in the past. At least, one of the monsters had, and that was good enough for Daniel. The dead flesh manipulated easily and Daniel actually managed to swing the creature around like a cane. He found the action intoxicating, there was possibly some lingering effects of the laudanum, and he repeated the motion again and again as Lani made a sort of tune with his mock-monster-voice that mimicked something associated with a circus. Daniel only did this for a few seconds though; the head seemed likely to tear any moment given its weak connection.

"_**Hey, Daniel! Want to be friends?**_"

_Never._

"**Yes I do, monster!**"

_Well of course YOU would._

Lani created some more babble for the monster to spout as if it were a puppet; to be fair though it was being used as a toy that also represented a false victory. Daniel spun the creature around a few more times but somehow found he was growing bored. Being underground in the belly of a crumbling Prussian castle that was filled with powerful monsters and a curse that wants you dead as you desperately search for a man that is clearly not of this world in hopes of killing him and somehow escaping despite that becoming more than impossible early on and currently being surrounded by some of the most dangerous warning signs and playing with an unidentifiable beast's corpse all while having amnesia and sustaining horrible injuries was not something most would consider boring. This spoke volumes about Daniel's day.

"**This is far more entertaining than it should be.**"

Daniel knew he should stop, but he did not want to face his mission and its obstacles again. He gave the monster a good swing and watched it rotate once more without incident.

"**Wee! Catch!**"

Daniel tossed the monster's upper half the where its lower body laid.

"**God damnit I still can't get over how weak Daniel is.**"

_You don't even have a body!_

"**What killed him?**"

…_._

Daniel picked up the upper half of the monster and considered the question.

"**Seriously, if these things can actually DIE, I'd like to think that I could do something to 'em. You know?**"

_Whatever killed this thing is something I wish never to meet, but given our luck it's a bigger monster that I will have to face alone while you sing or yell at me._

Lani sighed and Daniel let the monster fall back to the ground before heading to the door. He had delayed the inevitable long enough and had to get going.

"**Let's see how badly I injured Daniel by stepping on puss.**"

_After the bridge incident, puss is the least of my worries._

"**Nothing. A slight headache; how are you feeling better?**"

_I know at least one less creature is after me and that they are not immortal; that counts for something._

"**Whatever. Perhaps that monster destroyed that broken gate that was in my way.**"

_That would be too lucky, unless of course it was a single path that led to the new monster._

Daniel turned to look at where the path had ended earlier. The bars were broken and the path was now open.

…_._

"**Yep, called it!**" 

_I swear to God, if it's a single path…._

Daniel walked down the path and Lani groaned as he sometimes did.

"**What do we have here…?**"

After one or two turns the path split in two, but it seemed more likely that it was simply a large room with a square of thick wall just big enough to keep the paths roughly the same size as before. Daniel stepped forward and then back as he heard the long, low howl-like groan of a monster.

_I fucking knew it!_

The large pipe next to Daniel seemed to tremble at the sound as Daniel himself did. Daniel's voice shuddered and he crouched low in the water so that his head was practically all that was visible. The water was filthy and dark, and while very unpleasant to be in they could be used as a cover if necessary. With this in mind Daniel dared a peek around the corner, fully prepared to dive below the shallow water. The path to his left seemed much longer than it was and green fog lingered in the air. Daniel could not make out and shape resembling a monster and no splashing water to warn of an invisible one. All had become calm and silent.

"**Can I help you?**"

Except Lani; Lani was never silent.

"**Coming from that way…it's not behind me….**"

Nothing was changing, and nothing was coming. On his hands and knees Daniel moved through the water creating as little sound as he could. As he neared the end of the path Daniel felt sick with anxiety and looked to a few rocks that was on eye level at the point before continuing.

"**Quiet, Daniel. There are rocks here.**"

Daniel could not go much closer and kept his distance as he tilted to see past the corner. For a split second he believed he saw something staying still but he dared not linger long enough for it to see him.

"**Ok, it's definitely guarding my way out, fuck.**"

_I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die!_

Daniel backed up and stood as he would want to run rather than hold his breath and pray if the monster came. To his side he saw the nest of rocks.

"**I have an idea.**"

_If it is the same as mine then we will die on the same page at least._

Daniel grabbed one of the rocks and retreated backwards. He turned and hit his hand and the rock against the wall by mistake and nearly had a heart attack. Without pause though he continued back and luckily nothing had come for him. Once at the back corner Daniel threw the rock and ran down the other path.

_Please work, oh God, PLEASE work!_

Daniel was right about the paths being one and found the way out now unguarded as the distraction had worked.

"**Fuck it, Daniel.**"

The archway out had a short set of stairs to dry ground and a new path. The weight of Daniel's fully drenched clothes made itself very apparent but Daniel ran just the same.

"**We can make it out of this fucker!**"

_God I hope so._

"**Where're we going? Where're we going? This door!**"

There was one door and as soon as Daniel's hand touched it the monster roared somewhere behind him. It knew it had been tricked and now it was mad.

_FUCK ME!_

"**Keep going, Daniel!**"

Daniel did not even bother closing the door behind him to hinder the beast, there was no time. He just ran. His legs cried in pain from the abuse and threatened to give out; he just ran. Daniel ran through a second door and saw a ladder in the small circle of a room. It was the most beautiful thing he could have seen and he climbed it immediately.

"**Up the ladder, Daniel!**"

His body could not withstand this torture and Daniel could only move so fast without crippling himself. The panic and adrenaline kept him going when he should have blacked out but even adrenaline had its limit.

"**Climb faster, Daniel!**"

_I can't…._

"…**Good lord, man! You climb like a five year old!**"

The monster howled from below and Daniel continued up the very tall ladder. The tunnel of wall around him shook and Daniel hardly held on as he continued still.

_I have to make it out of here. I refuse to have come this far for nothing!_

"**Is it behind you? I don't know, Daniel, maybe you should think to CLIMB FASTER!**"

_And I vow to have you die in the most painful way imaginable!_

He climbed still and the light from above came closer and closer. Moving towards the light at the end of a tunnel was not usually a good sign but given the alternative it did not seem too bad. Lani initiated his whining mockery of Daniel though he broke character rather soon.

"_**I'm just gonna climb like a ninety year old and pray for the best**_** when I'm being chased by THE HORRORS FROM BEYOND!**"

Lani's complaints were duly noted, but Daniel had reached the top alive and he was happy enough with that.

"**Jesus, Daniel!**"

Desperate for rest, and Lani's silence, Daniel emerged from the tunnel into a room that most likely only served the purpose of connecting other rooms given the multiple doors he saw.

"**Well, good thing that thing can't climb, huh, Daniel? Christ.**"

There was a tinderbox next to a large coil of rope and the protruding walls of the tunnel that made it appear more like a well. Tinder was always appreciated but after such a close encounter it hardly lifted Daniel's spirits to collect it.

"**You are the most USELESS…character I think I have ever played in a video game.**"

_And you are the most heartless, sadistic, ill-mannered, brute of a bastard I have ever had the misfortune of knowing! If I ever receive the chance to be in YOUR head I will use the opportunity to its fullest!_

Daniel walked about the room, in fear that if he rested for even a moment the feel of walking would be far too much in comparison for him to continue. The room was round, with support beams and doors. Lani seemed desperate and annoyed, but unlike Daniel's desperation his did not stem from fear.

"**Where the fuck am I now?**"

Daniel looked at the doors near him, trying to choose where to start. It was quiet or a moment before a much calmer Lani spoke.

"**Ok…let's see.**"

Among the doors was a single one left ajar.

"**Op, this seems promising.**"

Daniel opened the door to see pure darkness. Once inside he lit his lantern, seeing no alternative for a place so dark, and could see the dead end from where he stood. Boulders had piled up a few yards away and rendered this exit useless. While having fewer options moved Daniel along faster, he hoped that at least one of the doors would house an actual way out rather than having them show him that he has wasted time, sanity, and blood.

"**And now it doesn't.**"

Daniel was not one to leave things alone without inspecting them first; at least he had learned to be that way, so he checked along the end of the pile of rocks. There was a tinderbox but nothing else he could use.

"**Ah…tinder. So we got something out of it, Daniel.**"

Lani made a strange sound of contemplation as Daniel left the first room and headed for the door to his left.

"**Let's see…I dunno.**"

Daniel looked at the door, but his legs felt weak so he stopped at the support beam for a very brief rest before his fear of becoming even more inept urged him onwards to what was the second door to the left of the first room he inspected.

"**This is hard.**"

_THIS is hard? Lani, have you not been paying any attention?_

Daniel swung the door open more roughly than he should have as his way of communicating a silent huff.

"**Hello?**"

He needed the lantern once more as he walked down the dark hallway that did not immediately end like the first. There was a single turn to the right and past it there was a short distance until an archway that led into another room. Before going down the remaining bit of hall, Daniel lit a torch that was placed at the first turn for later use. The torch provided decent light and the room was already lit when he entered.

"**What've we got in here?**"

There was more machinery, an oil drum, and some odd bits of furniture such as a layered end table that held another tinderbox..

"**Lantern oil, tinder, uh….**"

Daniel looked at the oil drum and wondered if using it with his current oil level was best. He collected the tinderbox without a second thought.

"**I don't know, I don't wanna waste that yet because I almost have full lantern oil, so….**"

Daniel double-checked his oil level to be certain. Inside the lantern was more than three-fourths of oil, so using what had presented itself now would prove a poor decision unless he was not able to return in the future to this room.

"**We'll hold off on that for now, Daniel.**"

Across the room Daniel spotted a piece of paper resting on another end table beside a candle.

"**OH, but a letter.**"

_Please be helpful._

Daniel read.

9th of August 1839

"**Story time!**"

I can't stop sweating and shaking. The warding ritual was not something of a sane mind! I did not even realize the dungeon was still in use. Alexander had his servants bring one of the prisoners, a murderer, he told me. Alexander made all of the arrangements but he said I had to perform the ritual in order to have the right effect. The Shadow could be led astray by the blood of another. Killing the man would provide us precious time.

"**Naughty, naughty, Daniel.**"

What else could I do? Alexander said it had to be done. He is saving my life, I don't have the luxury of argument.

Daniel shook as he tried to process what his former self had written. If he was correct, he had killed a man. That man was a murderer though, so it had to be all right. Killing a sinner to save an innocent was well within the bounds of acceptability. Daniel was an intelligent man, an archeologist, who was benefitting society by bringing them knowledge. Could it be so wrong for him to take a vile man who killed others for lesser reasons away from this world to ensure his own safety? That man was in prison, even if he remained alive he could not benefit anyone.

"**You know, let's just assume – you know, Daniel, something tells me you're just looking for an excuse to kill people.**"

_I AM NOT! HE DESERVED IT, JUST LIKE THE GIRL! THEY ALL DESERVED WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM! EVERY LAST ONE WAS A SINNER THAT WILL BURN FOR THEIR CRIMES! I DID WHAT WAS RIGHT!_

As much as Daniel bombarded himself with these reasons, and as much as he did believe them, there was always a part of hi that doubted it all. He had to escape this place, kill Alexander, and make things right. Without spending time on the machines, Daniel left to search the other rooms. The pain of his legs was somehow pushed aside by his new found motivation. When turning the corner Daniel passed among the chains that hung from above.

"**I just walked straight through chains; we have now proven that chains have no physical properties.**"

Daniel was not sure how Lani saw what he did, but he knew better than to question him. Back in the main room, Daniel went to the door that was on his left.

"**Uh…what is here?**"

Inside was more darkness that demanded the presence of Daniel's lantern. At the end of the hall was a wooden door and Lani singing his DOs again. Behind the door was even more darkness. Daniel felt an odd chill in this area but moved onwards. This was not a normal room though; it was a platform with a stairway down. Wind blew through the channel to Daniel's left where he looked over to see no ground below. It was a long way down a large, spiraling stone staircase.

"**A large, spiral staircase.**"

Daniel made his way down as Lani continued his 'music' and the castle continued to take apart Daniel's nerves with wind and moving stone.

"**Oh, don't fear, Daniel. Just descending FURTHER into the abyss.**"

_Stop pretending to help, sarcasm is only of use in rare occasions and this is not one of them!_

"**You know, if I go any deeper I'm pretty sure I'm gonna hit the damn Earth's core.**"

Chains lightly rattled in the distance as the echo carried the sound.

"**Crackling chains, oogie boogie boogie.**"

…_if I ever get the chance to be in your mind I will put a priority on never delving into it farther than necessary._

Daniel had reached the end of the stairs and another unkind echo of wind sounded. There was a door and a torch nearby. Daniel decided to rest his lantern after lighting the torch. He only rested it for a second though as the torch's light did not extend to the path he chose to investigate. Daniel ignored the door for now and went instead to his left where barrels and boxes littered the ground.

"**What have we here? Further under the staircase….**"

The wind carried the sound of painful, tired moans of a man. Lani mocked the sound as he did everything.

"**There's like nothing here. At least we can move a little faster huh, Daniel?**"

Having found nothing, Daniel put out his lantern when he reached the torch once more to travel beyond the door, but before he could do so, a bright light shown in his eyes.

"**Ah!**"

It was Alexander's voice. His and the voice of a man named Agrippa.

"Agrippa? I need you to stay awake. Can you feel the syringe?"

"**Creepy.**"

Daniel huddled by the light of the torch.

"No, I can't feel anything. Alexander?"

"Yes?"

Lani made short, high-pitched inhales as if he were about to sneeze.

"Soon I won't even be able to move, will I?"

"Your life is safe."

"I don't doubt that – but will it be worth living?"

The voices subsided and the only remaining sounds were the linking of glasses and the pouring of liquids.

"**Hey, Daniel, you're looking at your future here.**"

The light reappeared at the scene ended entirely. Daniel remembered reading the name Agrippa in at least one of the notes, or perhaps Lani had read it for him from one of the capsules. Wherever he knew the name from made no difference though, this Agrippa fellow was surely dead like the rest.

"**Or your present, I don't know.**"

The lantern was reinstated once Daniel opened the door and saw just how dark it was.

"**Uh, what've we got?**"

It was a short hall that ended with two turns. The left was a longer hall, and the right was a door that was closed off with three wooden planks nailed across it.

"**Left: nothing. To the right: a blocked door. Let's light this.**"

Daniel lit a torch that was nearby and continued to his left. Past the fog in the hall was a barred metal door like those in the dungeon. There was no padlock, so entrance was granted upon his request.

"**Oh it's…one of those handles, ok.**"

Past that door was another platform, one of wood like back in the wine cellar. This platform was smaller though and when Daniel looked over the edge it did not seem as tall either.

"**Candles.**"

True, there were candles hanging in a group of four on a chandelier, but what drew and kept Daniel's attention was to the left of that. There was another collection of candles at a lower level, it seemed to be on the ground but the darkness made that hard to determine despite the flames. Among the small light was what looked like a human body. Daniel could make out a torso, part of the legs, and part of the head.

"**The fuck?**"

Daniel started down the stairs, keeping his eyes on the form the whole way. It was indeed a human, with his arms lifted up to support him as he hung low with the weight of himself despite how thin he looked from the distance.

"**It's Jesus!**"

Blasphemy or not, Daniel had to admit the pose of this man did bear some resemblance to that of Jesus on the cross. Once on the ground Daniel went to take a good look at this man. He had to visible wounds thus far, but given his position and location he had to be important. Daniel had just stepped in front of the man when the unthinkable happened: what he assumed to be a corpse lifted its head. This man was alive! Daniel took a sudden breathe and quickly backed away in shock and even fear.

"**WOAH!**"

He was not sure why he was afraid, and he made himself approach the man again. Shadows fell heavy across his face, but Daniel knew something was not right.

"**Hey, buddy.**"

"_Help me. Pull the switch._"

"**Holy crap.**"

Daniel stepped closer still to see him better and he felt his heart switch between racing and freezing; the man had no jaw. It was like the monster from before, only the skin was gone as well. This man seemed to be speaking in Daniel's mind just as Lani was, though it was vaguely evident that he was not.

"**Pull the string! Pull the string!**"

Daniel hoped this man was better than Lani. More important though, he wanted to know what the lever would do. Daniel looked at the strange machine next to him and saw no clue as to what it did.

"_Please._"

"**Ok….**"

The lever seemed of no help to the man, it might do unspeakable things if pulled.

"_Next to me._"

"**Yeah I see it. I'm just…getting a good look at you.**"

Daniel lifted his lantern for a better view of the man, certain he would understand. His eyes seemed only white and his mouth was a bloody hole without even a tongue, his ribcage was clearly visible as his skin barely covered his bones, and his only clothing was a form of loincloth, but being fair that was more than the other prisoners had had.

"_Please._"

"**HOW ARE YOU TALKING?**"

This man was obviously in great pain, and seeing as he was not with the other prisoners Daniel gathered he was probably an innocent needed for a special ritual rather than a criminal.

"**Fine, I'll pull it, Jesus. Um…**"

"_Pull the switch._"

"**I'm working on it! Jeez.**"

Daniel took the wooden handle and turned it to the right until it gave a sound click. The sound of wind rushed Daniel's ears as he turned to look at the man again and behold what he had done.

"**There.**"

"_Thank you, you have my gratitude._"

Now the man was in Daniel's mind like Lani, and the strange device was spilling a green fog.

"**Ok, now you're psychic.**"

"_My name is Agrippa, who might you be?_"

"**What?**"

_My name is Daniel…._

"**Uh, Daniel.**"

"_Daniel? Like the prophet thrown into the lion's den._"

"**Why are you only talking into one of my ears!**"

_I'm Daniel of Mayfair, but our stories may be similar._

Daniel tried to ignore Lani in case Agrippa could not hear him as well, though it is hard to stop yourself from thinking freely. Agrippa laughed.

"_Tell me – are you among the lions, Daniel_"

_Doubtlessly, there are horrible monsters all throughout this castle, all of which keep me from Alexander who is the most important of the lions._

"**There we go….**"

"_You want to stop Alexander?_"

_I must. It's a long story, but I must._

"**Yeah, sure.**"

"_Oh, my… so Babylon shall fall, you say._"

_Metaphorically, yes._

"**What the fuck are you…**"

Agrippa laughed again.

"_You worry too much. Alexander is toothless without an orb._"

"**Kay.**"

_He…has one._

"_He has one? That's…that's not very promising at all. The Sanctum is basically impenetrable while guested by an orb._"

"**Uh-huh.**"

"_It could be breached by another, but… Alexander broke his, I mean my orb, a long time ago._"

"**What a clumsy bitch.**"

_I know a way to mend the orb, mine used to be broken as well._

"_Really? Well, if you tell the truth, by all means._"

"**I'm getting-!**"

"_Seek out the pieces of the broken orb and mend away._"

"**I'm getting one half the conversation!**"

Daniel knew that Lani could hear Agrippa and Agrippa could hear Daniel, he was not yet sure though if Agrippa could hear Lani.

"_I believe he uses them for torture now. They practically leak madness, which is quite useful I understand._"

Daniel hated dealing with madness, but it would prove to be a necessity.

"_There should be six of them. Look around the Choir and the Transcept, you should be able to find them there._"

_Thank you for your help, Agrippa._

"**Kay.**"

Daniel made a quick note about what he had learned to insure he did not forget. He looked at Agrippa in an awkward, silent fascination.

"_Daniel-_"

"**Woah!**"

"_I hate to bother you further, but…if you are really going after Alexander…. Would you consider…taking me with you_"

_I…I'm not sure how…._

"**I don't know, Daniel's not that strong.**"

Daniel wanted to hurt Lani but he knew he could not.

"_I know it sounds ridiculous – I mean look at me._"

"**Doing it.**"

"_But if you find anything concerning a man named Johann Weyer, would you please bring it to me? I believe he was working on a way to help me. A recipe for some sort of potion – a tonic to free me from this husk of mine._"

"**Ok.**"

_Of course, Agrippa._

Daniel made a second note about this new information.

"**So without a body how're you gonna help – then again-**"

_Excuse me but, who are you exactly?_

"-**who the hell am I to-**"

"_Who, me? I am Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa._"

"**WHO ASKED YOU?**"

"_I was once quite important, you know. Baron Alexander has sustained my soul in this dead husk for years. Who knows how many…hundreds I presume._"

"**Wow, he's been around awhile.**"

_What do you know about Alexander?_

"**So, uh, can I have a moment to think to myself here or are you just gonna keep-**"

"_Alexander is quite impressive in many ways. But he has grown impatient._"

"**I'm growing impatient too! You want me to re-pull that switch?**"

_Why has he brought you here?_

"_Why me? I'm the next best thing. Alexander really wanted none other than Johann Weyer._"

_I'm sorry, I don't know who that is._

Lani whined as Daniel touched the lever, being sure to keep it functioning though.

"**Come on, come on Daniel!**"

"_You never heard of Johann Weyer? My God, boy!_"

Lani grunted and spoke through his teeth, acting as if he were using all of his strength to try and pull the lever back into the off position.

"**Can't say I have!**"

"_He is probably the greatest man in history and you don't know him?_"

Agrippa sounded both bewildered and bemused. Lani groaned.

"_Or is it the world who has forgotten him?_"

"**What else you gotta tell me here buddy? I'm – I'm all ears, go on…. How is this thing making you talk anyway?**"

_I don't know, it's a long story still but I am under the effects of an amnesia potion. Who is Johann Weyer?_

"_Weyer was my pupil – my pupil._"

"**MINE! Not yours, mine!**"

"_Yes, I do take pride in that fact. Is it so wrong?_"

"**Uh, not really, I guess? How are those candles still burning? Does somebody come down here and relight them every year?**"

_Of course not, I take pride in my archeological discoveries and I can't even fully remember them._

"_I found a Mithraeum once. One which had not been plundered. Do you know of Mithraism?_"

"**Can't say I do.**"

_I might have, but it's an odd name so it'll be harder to recall._

"_I suppose it doesn't matter, it is an old faith building temples out of caverns. The dark walls being the universe and inside are its followers…humans watching the sky slowly turn._"

"**You know what?**"

"_But the followers do have one thing to allow them a sense of connection to creation…the Orbs._"

"**You know…ok, I guess I understand your talkey-ness considering I'm probably one of the first people you've seen in well over a decade….**"

_Do you know how many there are?_

"_Not many orbs are left. They sometimes consume themselves or break when used by an uninitiated._"

Daniel nodded in understanding.

"**You are a chatty son of a bitch!**"

"_I was lucky. The Orb I found spared my life and returned to where I found it. I know, because Alexander took it and brought it to Brennenburg._"

"**It's like an old man telling a whole bunch of old war stories that just won't shut up about the glory days. You know what? You might have lived a good life, but look at you now.**"

Lani was truly an ass.

"_Weyer was a brave man and dared to proceed where I did not. He unearthed a number of cavern temples and gathered a whole collection of Orbs. But unlike every other finder since the fall of the Mithraic faith, he was able to unshackle the horror you and I connect with the Orbs._"

Lani sighed and resumed pretending to try and move the lever.

"_He used them and was able to travel far and wide. Beyond the world itself._"

"**What is this thing made of?**"

_That's amazing! I'm very sorryu, I don't mean to be rude, but I must continue searching this area and those around it. I would like to hear any other stories while I do though._

With that, Daniel moved onwards in search of supplies and exits. To his left he found a table and a jar of oil.

"**Yeah, I'm gonna keep going here. Hey, lantern oil! See, this is far more useful than your old ass!**"

Lani had no sense of respect for his elders. At least, Daniel assumed Agrippa was Lani's elder. Agrippa certainly sounded older and if his stories and guesses were true he was quite old himself, but then again Lani was a mere voice. He could be as old as Daniel, as old as when Daniel first heard him, or he could be something else entirely; ageless even. Daniel looked up above the table and saw a small square door that was just out of reach. Behind the door he could hear the sound of gears turning and clanking.

_You must be rather powerful to still be alive after so many years, Agrippa._

"_Me, powerful? Not the way I had hoped for._"

"**No, you're incredibly un-powerful, look at you.**"

"_I have done all that I can to escape this prison, but now I use all my strength merely to stay alive._"

_I'm very sorry._

Lani chuckled.

"**And what a life it is!**"

Daniel used an immense amount of self control to keep himself from thinking or saying anything to Lani. He distracted himself with Agrippa and the small door.

"_My pupil, Johann Weyer, said he had found a way to take me with him beyond the stars._"

"**SHUT. UP!**"

Daniel had climbed onto the table and opened the door, he saw the ends of the turning gears inside.

"**What the hell? Huh….**"

Daniel could not see too well from this height, so he went off for boxes.

"_But I was too afraid to come along. Sill really…and now all I can do is regret it._"

_Fear is expected for something as significant as that._

"**Maybe this thing'll shut him up.**"

Daniel grabbed the first box and returned to the table.

"**Let's see, let's stack some boxes here.**"

"_I have always hoped Weyer would return and give me a second chance. But so does Alexander, that's why he keeps me here…as a hostage in hope Weyer will reveal himself._"

_I see…._

Surely he would have given up by now, but Agrippa had not and Daniel would not encourage him doing so even if it was hopeless. With his single box Daniel still could not reach inside.

"**One more box.**"

Daniel returned and stacked the second box, unsure of whether or not there was even a point to his doing this.

"_You're a good boy, Daniel-_"

"**Agrippa, I swear to God!**"

"_-and I appreciate your company, but I believe you have more important things to take care of._"

"**Yeah, like finding something to stab you with!**"

_I know, but there may be something here._

"**Jesus, Agrippa! Shut the fuck up!**"

Daniel took the top box and tried to clear his mind of all thought, if he did not think he could not say anything about Lani by mistake.

"**How do we turn an object? Well that moves it farther aw-**"

With his absent mind at work Daniel put the box down on the back edge of the other and made it fall over. He was glad Agrippa could not see him.

"**There we go, that should do.**"

Daniel took the box to restack it properly.

"_You should hurry, Daniel. No time for sitting around._"

_I understand. I won't be long._

"**Hey, Agrippa, shut the fuck up!**"

Daniel absent mindedly took the last page he had collected, the one of his killing, out from its place. It hurt just to look at the words. He tucked it away inside the journal.

"**What? Why did that open that? I guess I pressed the wrong button.**"

Lani's comments were mumbled and they made Daniel weary with what he did not understand.

"_You're a good boy, Daniel, and I appreciate your company, but I believe you have more important things to take care of._"

Now understanding Lani's annoyance with Agrippa, Daniel pulled a loose cog forward and fixed whatever the machinery was for.

_I should be finished after a final look around._

"**Yes, very much so. That do it? I assume…ok.**"

Daniel closed the small door, bumping his head by accident, and got down from the boxes and table.

"**Ow, my head!**"

Daniel went to make his final search around the area.

"**What else do we have down here?**"

"_You should hurry, Daniel._"

"**Shut up!**"

"_No time for sitting around._"

Daniel just ignored Agrippa this time, he assumed he thought there was nothing of use but after hundreds of years in a single spot how would he know what had changed? A large wooden gate of a door was at the other end of the room, and it clearly was too heavy to lift open. There had to be a lever or some sort of pulley; he made a note of this. Then Daniel remembered: there was a room with levers above, and that was most likely what he had just fixed.

_It seems I have some good luck still._

"**Cannot be opened from here.**"

To the right of that large gate was an opened one that housed a dark tunnel and a small gated door, again with no padlock. Daniel went inside and found a large area with wooden platforms and large beams of wood and stone. The moans of those in pain lingered as they usually did and Daniel was sad, yet pleased, to say they no longer fazed him as they had before. It was best to search by circling around the walls, so Daniel started to his right where he quickly found a door with a barred window like the others in the dungeon. Inside was a small, square room made of stone. Every stone was a square unless it met another wall too soon and had to change shape. Blood stained the middle of the back wall, and a single unlit lantern hung from the ceiling. Reluctantly Daniel entered and collected a tinderbox from beside the blood stain. This room was a horrible one to be trapped in; one would easily become claustrophobic and lose their mind if they were trapped in here.

"**Cute.**"

Daniel was not sure if Agrippa was staying in his head like Lani or if he could only hear him at a certain distance but he had to inwardly groan at Lani. Out of that room and into a second exactly like it, minus the blood and with shackles, at the other end of the wall.

"**You know, this is the kind of place I'd expect monsters to be around every corner.**"

_I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!_

"**It's a lot like the prison.**"

There was nothing of use in this room.

"**Only not quite, you know…as…quaint…and a lot more torture devises.**"

_If you count that room as a device…._

"**I'm in a torture chamber aren't I?**"

Daniel noted a single door on the next wall and bypassed it for now to look into a third version of the other rooms that was across the room from the second. It was just as the first but with more blood and it all in the far left corner rather than the middle; there was nothing. Daniel put out his lantern until he reached the fourth room.

"**Whatever, I don't need to burn that much oil.**"

The fourth room was as the first and the third but with no blood. Again, there was nothing.

"**Nothing in there.**"

Daniel made his way to and up the stairs of the platform, his lantern off and Lani explaining the obvious reasoning.

"**I mean, yeah, I have oil to spare at the moment but…who knows when I'll run into another situation like I did in the sewer?**"

Stairs were a nightmare, and with the adrenaline rush of motivation gone Daniel could not help but trip over his crying legs. He could feel blood against the crude bandage job and he hoped it would not multiply despite all he remembered about science saying it would.

"**Come on, Daniel, they're STAIRS.**"

_Stairs and injured legs do not go together, Lani!_

At the top there was a wooden chair, a wooden end table, a lit candle, something that looked like a loaf of bread that had worn itself into a log, and a large leg of meat. It was nice to see meat that was not human for once, and food that was not of the quality of that bread. Daniel held his stomach knowing hunger had settled itself sometime ago. He was not quite desperate enough to eat meat he found in a prison though. Not yet anyway, but he knew he might. While it hardly seemed sanitary, Daniel took the meat and added it to his collection of items.

"**Chicken…. Ok, picked up some meat.**"

Along the platform was a series of doors similar to the ones below; hopefully they did house useful items. The first did not. There were shackles again and small splatters of blood on the ground; nothing new.

"**Which of these rooms is just gonna house a monster?**"

Daniel backed away from the door he was about to open.

_God damnit, Lani!_

The room was lit inside and Daniel could see there was nothing there. He opened the door and was immediately greeted by a bright light.

"**Ow.**"

_Revenge._

Daniel put out his lantern to stand beneath the light of the room while he listened to the voice of a prisoner whose voice was alarmingly similar to his own, but far more tired and dazed.

"I know this, I've been here already. I know this taste – the taste of Damascus Rose obfuscating the truth in a dim haze."

_The potion…._

There were strange and horrible sounds behind the man's voice. Something around him.

"They may sweep the traces from my memory, but my body remembers. These cuts speak volumes, even though my mind remains silent. They will be back. Oh, they will be back."

The man sounded horribly frightened, with no spirit left. He had accepted his fate but at the same time could not. He had no memory of the past but he had already given up. Hearing the prisoners speak like this…like real victims, it was far worse than their moans or screams of pain could ever be to Daniel. Lani ruined any serious feelings or thoughts with a joke in a heavy, false Austrian accent.

"**So will the Governator.**"

_What is that, what even is that?_

The flash presented itself again and Daniel left. The castle made sounds of it settling again and Daniel tromped along the platform, his legs crying for him not to. There was another door across the way, but when Daniel opened it he had trapped himself between in and the end corner of the railing.

_Shoddy design…._

"**Ugh, Daniel, Jesus Christ man.**"

_Oh be quiet._

After closing the door, going around, reopening the door, and going inside Daniel found a single tinderbox.

"**More tinder.**"

The woman Daniel heard so often was crying again as he went to the next door.

"**And there's the crying bitch again!**"

_All right, I understand no longer being phased by repeated sounds of anguish but the least you can do is not insult the poor woman!_

The castle showed no compassion for Daniel's thoughts as inside the room was a perfect cloud of fog in the middle. It was heavy and concentrated even though it had no place to have come from. Daniel gasped, knowing it was another bad sign. The fog slowly spread and dissipated as Daniel focused instead on the lamp, drawing shaky breaths again. Lani mocked him.

"**Oh no…a vegetable fart!**"

There was nothing inside and Daniel closed the door before moving on.

"**Welp, this room proved to be use…less.**"

Daniel started down the stairs and held onto the railing for dear life when they shook violently and with the faint sound of a woman's scream. The stairs refused to settle and the screaming multiplied with many voices, all in terrible pain. Daniel was in pain himself given the condition of his legs and hurried back up to the platform, hoping for safety. He ran and stumbled, holding onto a nearby torch. His options were less than favorable but in panic he opened the door of the room that held the fog and hid inside. The screams grew louder and louder and the castle shook. There was a shrill scream from a little girl; it was possibly the one from the prison. He did not immediately notice upon entering it, but the room had become red. Not with blood thankfully, but with light. Once Daniel closed the door it all stopped.

"**The fuck is going on?**"

The room still terrified him without the red walls and Daniel opened the door to leave sooner than he usually would. He went to the railing in front of the room and lit his lantern to search for any source of the noise; he saw nothing. Daniel put out his lantern and lit the torch he had grabbed earlier, afraid to travel downwards now.

"**Did I just step on the foley stair?**"

_That doesn't even make any sense!_

Daniel moved down the stairs a second time but with more caution than before. No one screamed and nothing shook. It was much darker now.

"**Kay, Daniel, we'll use the lantern, whatever.**"

Daniel looked to the single door from before but decided against going further this direction until he knew he had to.

"**I guess that's not the way to go!**"

He thought of the screams that now were buried in his mind. The one that pierced him the most was the shrill scream of the girl, the one that came at the end. It was most likely the girl from the prison. It was that girl. The girl who broke the rules, tried to flee, the one who tried to avoid the consequences.

"She deserved it, that little bitch!"

"_Daniel, good to see you. You are a good boy, Daniel, and I appreciate your company, but I believe you have more important things to take care of._"

_Right…._

Daniel made his way up the stairs of the platform and head for the first room.

"**Agrippa…you are annoying as shit, and I don't know what the hell Daniel was just thinking about, but uh…obviously he's psychotic.**"

_I AM NOT!_

Daniel lit his lantern at the top, hoping he was out of Agrippa's hearing range so he would not seem psychotic. Anger and injuries, like injuries and stairs, do not mix it seemed as Daniel stumbled his way in front of the door, almost falling over. He looked at the ground in embarrassment and concern for the state of his legs and saw only a slight difference in level that should not have even made itself apparent.

"**Daniel, it's a STEP! Christ, man…. Are you that insane? That incompetent?**"

_MY LEGS ARE BLEEDING AS WE SPEAK, I SHOULD NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO WALK! AFTER ALL OF THIS BOLLOCKS YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE ON AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED, AS IF I AM INVISIBLE?_

Daniel gritted his teeth to keep himself from shouting this out loud as he ascended the stone stairs.

"**Back up these things. Maybe this has something to do with that lever room.**"

Daniel inwardly groaned again. These stairs were not kind to his legs and they cried further; the legs of his pants had spots of blood on them that assured they stuck to Daniel's bandaged legs.

"**God, it's like every other stair Daniel's having trouble getting up it.**"

_I'm practically limping right now, thank you. Be happy I'm moving at all._

"**Daniel, I get it, you're a weak piece of shit, but come on man.**"

_I detest you with every last ounce of my being._

"**How much more lantern oil?**"

Daniel checked and saw he roughly had only a fourth left.

"**Wow! I burned up a lot of that.**"

Daniel lit a torch before entering the main room; he had to focus on using tinder rather than oil.

"**Man, I have a bad habit! Daniel, we are addicted to lantern oil!**"

_The light is our friend…the light makes things better…._

Daniel glanced into the first room he saw and knew what it was despite the darkness.

"**That's the rock room.**"

Next to it was the closed door he had stumbled past earlier.

"**That's a room I ain't been in yet. Uh…**"

Daniel went to open the door and look inside but found it would not budge.

"**Won't budge, ok, so it doesn't want me in it.**"

_That seems like the set up for a poor tasting joke._

Daniel entered the hall that led to the lever room and shut the door behind him before continuing.

"**Just in case a monster comes.**"

_Lani, stop making this worse than it has to be!_

"**Let's see.**"

Lani made the sound of false effort as Daniel lifted the first lever; there was a distinct sound of gears moving now. Daniel lifted the second one as well and heard the sound grow louder. Lani made a brief, high-pitched series of notes that imitated a holy praise. Daniel's hatred grew just a tad more as it almost always did when Lani spoke and he filled his lantern with what the oil drum had to offer.

"**Let's do this.**"

There was a little less than half the lantern's capacity.

"**Wow, that didn't fill it at all.**"

Daniel checked the drum to be sure there was truly nothing left for him before he left the room.

"**So the nice, heavenly music is soon going to be followed by the ROAR of a monster, and shit, I'm sure. Right?**"

_I'm running out of ways to say I hate yyou, Lani._

There could be no monster here, not given the build of the area, so for once Daniel was not afraid to open the door. Fear did appear though as the wind made a howling sound around him. It was brief and usually something to be ignored, but nothing could ever be ignored here.

"**Nothing? You sure? Ok…. I'm holding you to that, game!**"

_My life is not a game, Lani._

Daniel continued back to where the stone stairs began. A man's voice made a short whimper Lani mocked. After that came a very powerful and imposing voice; it was Alexander's voice to be precise. Pain was forgotten in a paralyzing fear as he spoke, and the terror Daniel felt multiplied with ever threatening, calm word.

"Daniel. You have gone too far. I have to stop you."

The castle began shaking again and Daniel forced his movement so as to light a torch. Alexander was a powerful man, and Daniel dreaded every time he heard his voice. It was the voice of a charismatic man who normally was one you would want to go on with his stories, but what he said made all the difference to Daniel.

"I can't let you proceed any further. I'm sorry, my friend."

_No…no you are not, Alexander…. You are not sorry and I am not your friend…._

"**Seriously, how're you doing that, man?**"

_You will not intimidate me…._

Even though Alexander could intimidate him very easily, Daniel knew he had to press on. Each step into the darkness was agony but knowing Agrippa had to be safe to be Alexander's bait gave Daniel hope. If he was with Agrippa he was in safety.

"**I mean, I know, I guess, I really shouldn't question it since all this other shit's going on but…. Let's move.**"

Managing his way down the stone staircase Daniel heard another moan of pain from a man. Lani sang.

"**Da, da, da, da, da, going down these stairs! Uh, ok…..**"

Before going down the left path to Agrippa, Daniel checked the right to see if the wood boards were still in place over the door; they were.

"**Still boarded up, huh?**"

The hall itself was unbearable and Daniel had to leave faster at the cost of greater pain in his legs.

"**Let's get Daniel out of the horrible room….**"

Daniel felt a wave of relief when he saw Agrippa down below.

"_Was there something else…?_"

It was best if Daniel did not alarm Agrippa with any words about Alexander.

_Yes, I believe I opened the gate-like doors._

"**I dunno, how about you shut the fuck up.**"

"_You got the doors open? Good going. I knew you could do it._"

"**Yep, thanks Agrippa, you were so much help.**"

_I don't want to face whatever is down there…thing will only get worse and there have already been such horrible creatures…._

"_You should hurry, Daniel. No time for sitting around._"

_I know…._

"**Hey, Agrippa, shut the fuck up.**"

Daniel went down the first door had seen earlier.

"**Let's see….**"

There was a sound of gurgling water and Daniel felt a very sudden and painful chill. He stopped for a moment, but he saw no water. Daniel moved through the doorway the noise came from and saw a well that barely rose off of the ground.

"**Gurgle?**"

Above the well was a rope attached to a pulley system, and when Daniel gazed down inside he could not see any water, only hear it. He was well within the distance of safety and relaxed only slightly. The beast thrashed somewhere below.

"**Water monster, gotcha. Kay, let's continue down this way.**"

Daniel left the room but he could still hear the sounds of the moving water as he walked.

"**Glurgle, glurgle!**"

The only other door was metal and wood; Lani quickly identified it.

"**Into the Transcept.**"

Daniel put out his lantern and made his way inside.

A/N: OK! I'm back from Florida after forgetting the flash drive with the first half of this chapter in Ohio meaning I couldn't update sooner(aren't I brilliant?) but I'm a little over a fifth of the way done with chapter 11(it sounds like so little even though it's roughly the same as a third of this chapter…). If you do not know anything or much about Lani past this fic and maybe the actual let's play of his, I advise you look up the Dragon Ball Z abridged series by TeamFourStar because he makes references to a later episode and the joke is just confusing without knowing the abridged series. We've bypassed most of the slow parts so I should be able to write faster without losing interests like I would after describing a room that looks like the others for the millionth time. Also, I will be attending Otakon in Baltimore Maryland if anyone cares, I have no booth or anything but if you see me come and say hi if you want. I should be dressed as Miku of Vocaloid one day and Belarus from Hetalia the other day(not sure which will be first.)


	11. Hide and go seekTO THE DEATH!

"**Recording now.**"

_Are you taking notes or something?_

Daniel drank in the sight of the Transept. There were empty cages hanging from above that were made to house prisoners, windows littered the walls and let in a soft blue light. Despite the windows' help though, it was still too dark to see much of the details.

"**Ok, Daniel, let's figure out where the fuck we are.**"

_The transept, like those in a church._

There was a strange sound. Like that of a bird taking flight from in a bush or tree.

"**Cages…**"

Daniel walked onwards and was greeted by a bright light. He sadly noticed that it did not hurt Lani like it usually did.

"**Woah!**"

The voice was that of a male prisoner. Daniel could not be sure if he knew this one, the male voices ran together easily. Alexander's accompanying voice at the end was more than recognizable though.

"How much more, Baron? How much more am I supposed to withstand? Kill me already – kill me!"

"**Well, if you insist.**"

"This one. Prepare him."

The familiar flash reappeared as the scene ended; it was useless like so many were.

"**And thus he was prepared.**"

In front of him, Daniel saw a black spiral staircase that was previously hiding in the shade of the room. He much preferred looking at the windows for light though; he had been wrong about the color, there was also a tinge of green to it.

"**Kay, spiral staircase…. You know, I am so confused as to where the hell I am.**"

_The transept, you said so yourself._

"**As far as I'm concerned, I took an elevator down how many stories? Like, '**_**deep beneath the stones of Brennenburg**_**', and yet with like a tiny ladder climb up – after going further into the sewers, might I mention…I can see light out these windows.**"

Each of the aforementioned events made Daniel's body ache in memory of the injuries they supplied, but Lani did raise a very good point. Daniel was not sure how to answer him, the best guess he had is that the light outside the windows was artificial.

"**Ugh, whatever. Let's see what's behind door number one!**"

Pressing on was the best option. Daniel opened the door at the end of the hall and saw more darkness.

_Oh joy._

"**Darkness! Why wouldn't there be?**"

Daniel lit his lantern and continued inside. There were sounds of crying, groaning, and panting all entering Daniel's head against his will.

_No more! I've heard more than enough!_

"**Charming.**"

The sounds grew louder and Daniel lit one of the candles at a corner to make things easier.

"**Not gonna waste my lantern oil.**"

The candle did not make things easier and the sounds were getting louder.

"**Ok, maybe I will.**"

The loudest sound was a man sniveling, but he was soon drowned out by a woman's sad groans and a man in panic. There was labored breathing as if someone, a woman, was running low of air. There were quiet scream and sounds of pain. There was the squeaking of rats.

"**It's ok little ratty-rats.**"

The woman that seemed low on air panted heavily and quickly; she seemed to be having a panic attack.

"**Hey, get over your god damn claustrophobia.**"

The sounds faded into a single feeling of horror as Daniel reached the end of the hall and found another door made of wood and metal.

"**Let's see what we got here….**"

Inside was a thick trail of blood that led to and from an odd wooden piece.

"**Bloody room.**"

To his right was a candle post so Daniel snuffed out his lantern's flame and lit that instead.

"**Candles. Tinder.**"

_What cohesive thoughts, Lani._

The room was hardly lit but it was better than wasting oil.

"**Tinder, anything? Hey a box.**"

It was actually a bucket on the floor that Daniel picked up.

"**Nope, nope, just a, uh….**"

Thoughts of the prisoners, that girl, the crying woman, the multiple men, it all came and went. Various sounds and images rushed over Daniel as they had come and gone too often. To snap himself back, Daniel through the bucket to the wall. There was a loud clank and it was all right again. On that same wall however was an image that was far from helpful. It was a drawing of a naked body hung upside-down by the ankles using the wooden contraption in the room. Blood rushed down the body and into a drain below it as two men were actually sawing the man in half. Daniel felt ill.

"**Oh my. Well that…that must have been painful.**"

_To say the least._

A faint glimmer caught Daniel's eye and he lit his lantern to be certain of what he saw. There were two coils of rope as well as some odd pieces of it and many blood splatters covering both the rope and the floor. The glimmer had come from a dark mauve piece of the orb. Daniel hated the thing but knew he needed it and tucked it into his satchel.

"**What're you? A piece of an Orb.**"

Daniel was staring at the ground, transfixed. A drain was below the wooden stand like in the picture and it was completely red with blood.

"**Gross.**"

Daniel felt ill again as well as in pain. He rested one hand against the left beam of the device and was greeted with a bright light of memory that Lani had to narrate for him.

"**Woah!**"

Lani decided to be dramatic in his reading again.

"**The rapist hanged upside down, his tears soiled with blood flooding from his belly. The saw between his legs had lodged itself in the hip and wouldn't move any further. The men stepped back and waited for the victim to drain.**"

There was a pause and Daniel removed his hand, convinced Lani was through. The light faded and vanished. While that was indeed an excruciating form of torture, it did seem a fitting end for a rapist.

"**Cooking with Ed Gein!**"

_I do not know that man but if he comes to mind after that I'm sure he deserves to be the victim of this devise as well._

Next to the drain Daniel spotted the saw. It was amazingly clean and it did not seem too long. Daniel lifted it and contemplated its uses. While not very long it still would require both of his hands. Attacking with a sawing motion would take too long and end in death; Daniel swung it to see its prospects of becoming a blunt weapon instead.

"**See, Daniel, if you could just learn to WEILD SOMETHING, you'd have a weapon right now.**"

_This saw cannot be practically used as a weapon, Lani. A person as violent as yourself should know that._

Daniel left the saw behind and Lani groaned.

"**Whatever…doesn't seem to be anything else in this hallway either, so….**"

Lani was right, and so conserve oil Daniel snuffed the lantern out and ran down the hall instead. His legs were not appreciative.

"**Run, a-run, a-run, a-run, a-run, a-run, a-run-a.**"

They had reentered the main room and Daniel shut the door behind him.

"**And here we are, back in the main hall. Still no monsters….**"

_Why, Lani? Just…why must you always bring them up? You think perhaps I'll stop being afraid if I don't hear about them constantly? Would that be so terrible that you have made it your mission to focus every second of this horrendous journey on monsters? Well, bravo to you and you dedication!_

"**There aren't very many puzzles here either….**"

_Because it is a demonic castle, not a game!_

"**Are we just, like, lucking out, Daniel?**"

_Not if you continue to mention it, because we have firmly established that every time things go right something must go horribly wrong!_

"'**Cause I don't know if you deserve it.**"

Daniel was midway through opening a door when Lani said that and nearly lost it; not with immediate rage though, this time it built up.

"**More darkness!**"

_I don't deserve it? After all of this…bullshit? I have burned my hand, fallen God knows how many stories in an elevator crash, fractured – if not broken – my legs, have YOU still inside my head, my only real form of communication is with a jawless man, I still have next to no idea about who I am or the history behind any of this, I'm still being followed by the shadow which is apparently from an Orb's curse, monsters are after me almost everywhere, I have recently become hydrophobic as well as claustrophobic, my sanity is always on the brink, I may already be crazy, and I have to go kill an old man who is apparently fucking magical! And YOU…have the AUDACITY…to say that I do not deserve a break amongst all of this? FUCK YOU, LANI, NICK, OR WHATEVER THE BLOODY HELL YOUR NAME IS!_

Revenge was served with a bright light.

"**OW! AHH – NOT DARKNESS!**"

_OH BOO-FUCKING-HOO!_

The voice that starred was one of the men.

"Let me go, you brute!"

Lani obviously mocked this with a whining voice.

"**You brute, you savage!**"

Daniel's former self spoke in a calm tone.

"The cradle is ready."

Alexander spoke in a more devious version of a calm tone.

"Good."

The man spoke in bewilderment.

"You? You are a man…how can you partake in this?"

_Did this man know Alexander was not a mortal? Did he simply start to see him as a monster?_

"**Because I am a man!**"

Daniel asked a question that was on the mind of both his selves granted the odd nature of the question.

"Is he all right?"

There was a silence filled only by the sounds of metal clanking; chains Daniel presumed.

"…**is he all right? What the fuck are you talking about?**"

It took so long for Alexander to respond it was obvious he was searching for something to reassure Daniel's former self; a lie. If it had been true he could have answered immediately, but instead he paused.

"He is one of the wicked. Don't pay his lies any attention."

The man was weeping; Daniel lit a candle knowing this would take some time.

"I'm not a bad man."

"**Took ya' long enough with that one.**"

"It was an accident…"

Alexander's words held that familiar force of command to them. Even if he was lying or embellishing, he made Daniel want to believe his words.

"He set a man on fire."

The man gave a poor attempt at defending himself.

"It wasn't my fault!"

Lani mocked the man with the same whining voice.

"**I didn't start the fire!**"

"Why won't anyone listen…?"

"**It was always burning since the world's been turning!**"

Daniel's former self did not pay the prisoner the slightest bit of mind; he was still focused on Alexander.

"That's horrible."

Though not exactly Alexander's original intention, his words made Daniel remember and worry like Lani's did.

"Of course – we are dealing with monsters here."

The ending flash came and went with Lani's words and Daniel running down the hall.

"**Not the literal monsters that you face, Daniel, but, you know, man-monsters, like you.**"

_I AM NOT A MONSTER!_

"**I'm still betting you're an evil son of a bitch, Daniel.**"

_I AM NOT!_

"**I am not gonna…I am not going to, you know, just sit back and say you're not a monster.**"

_I am not a God damn monster, Lani! If anything, YOU are!_

With more force than was necessary, Daniel swung the metal door at the end of the hallway open. Immediately across the room Daniel saw what he knew was the cradle; he even knew it to be properly called the Judas Cradle, a small metal pyramid atop wooden posts used for impaling.

"**Ew….**"

Shackles hung from the ceiling and Daniel saw not so much as a drop of blood on the cradle. It must have been cleaned rather well. To the right was a collection of burlap sacks and Daniel could feel the influence of the Orb radiating from them. He moved two and found another piece, more of a light violet than a mauve color, resting on the ground.

"**Well…pretty sure I know where this one goes…. Hey, hey! Wow, just right behind the first thing I check? That's too convenient.**"

_Never look a gift-horse in the mouth, Lani._

Daniel collected his prize and continued his search of the room; he found another bright light.

"**Piece of an Orb…AH! God, my lantern's like a flash bang!**"

Daniel was not certain of what Lani was referencing but the meaning was clear. The prisoner from before was the star again, only now he was crying and begging.

"No, no, please. I'll do anything. Whatever you want. Anything…I'll do anything. I'm innocent!"

"**Are you really though?**"

The flash reappeared and left as Daniel found himself agreeing with Lani's words, if only because he knew the man's crime.

"**Is anybody really innocent?**"

Daniel wanted to say he was, but he was no longer sure. Once the flash had completely vanished Daniel saw and collected a tinderbox that was sitting on a chair.

"**Tinder! Tinder is innocent; it sits on a chair and watches.**"

Daniel looked to the cradle and grew hungry for its story. He hoped his touching it would have the same effect touching the saw's accompanying frame did. Daniel was right, and Lani narrated with a few pauses and comments as Daniel stared at the pure white light.

"**Oh wow, that's a really…. The arsonist kept crying as he was slowly lowered on…on and **_**off**_** the impaler. Oo, not fun. It didn't take much to break him. They had meant for him to die, but the torture was working beyond their expectations. It wasn't the method, it was the arsonist, he was different from the others. They could make him forget again.**"

Lani's voice was cheery at the end as Daniel slowly connected the voice of the arsonist to previous encounters. He was the man in the prison saying the man should have known better than to go into a burning house. He was the one who sounded like Daniel in the second dungeon, calmly speaking of his lost memory and his wounds. Of course, he was the man whose cries Daniel had just heard. While screams did not hold much of a resemblance to speaking voices on most occasions, Daniel was almost certain he was the main man who had being screaming as the woman cried.

"**Why? What?**"

Daniel removed his hand from the filthy object, even though it did not appear dirty in the least. While no blood was on the cradle, there was a large path of it on the floor.

"**I'm confused.**"

_I don't see what's so confusing about it._

Daniel ran from the room like before to save his oil. His legs were still in agony, but the various stories of torture made the pain, as well as his sanity, slightly less apparent.

"**Straight down the hallway…. Run, Daniel! The creeping, crackling sound is gonna get ya'.**"

Daniel closed the door behind him and walked to the final door, not including any above. The bird-like sound of flapping wings sounded again.

"**Flutter, flutter, flutter…are there birds in here?**"

Past the door was more darkness. This was like the tunnel system the girl and her mother had made. The girl was running from Daniel. She was crawling through the tunnel and running away the moment she was out. If Alexander knew a prisoner had escaped…if that bitch was his downfall….

"Find her!"

Lani paid no mind to the outburst; there was a rat.

"**Little ratty-rat, you gonna show me the way?**"

The rat ran to and along a wall as Lani spoke in an endearing voice.

"**That's not the way, ratty-rat, that's a wall!**"

The rat squeaked.

"**He agrees, it is a wall.**"

Daniel could not stand having even two parts of the Orb, the effects were already difficult to handle. He entered the metal door in search of a third piece though.

_Only for now…only for now…._

Inside Daniel saw a rope hanging from the ceiling. At first he did not understand it, but he remembered how it was used when he saw the metal weight below it and the crank on the right wall.

"**Hm, let's see here.**"

The device was too much for Daniel at the moment, so he went to the small layered table by the left wall. There was another illustration like in the saw room, but this one was for the device located here; the victim was a woman. Daniel averted his gaze to a tinder box on the lower shelf.

"**Tinder, the only thing I really care about…other than lantern oil.**"

Daniel knew he had to come to grips with the torture devices if he was to finish the quest the victor. He stared at the drawing for preparation and was happy that it did not show anything particularly gruesome.

"**That's a painful one too.**"

Daniel was in no mood for quips; the Orb pieces were heavy on his spirit and soul.

"**Where is the one in here?**"

The next piece was here somewhere. Daniel circled the room and saw the usual saving grace: a cupboard.

"**Must be in this thing…**"

The doors squeaked loudly as Daniel pushed them aside to show an Orb piece that seemed almost clear despite being a very light blue.

"**Yoink, piece of Orb!**"

The hunger for justice and pain was being kindled in Daniel more and more each time he collected a piece. He went to the crank, wanting to hear its story as well.

"**A crank…**"

Daniel glanced back at the weight and rope before returning his attention to the crank. He touched the handle on the left side a giggled it, waiting for the bright light. There was no light and Lani read nothing.

_I must have to actually turn it…._

He moved to look at the crank head on.

"**Well I gotta stay on this side for this…**"

Daniel turned the crank and heard as chains rattled.

_Odd…the contraption has rope, not chains…unless it's the chain of the weight but this chain sounds much longer…._

"**Hey…**"

A woman moaned in pain; she sounded worn and tired but Daniel kept turning after only a moment's pause.

"**That sounds painful.**"

The chains were louder and the woman made small screams. Daniel paused but kept turning. There was a low groan in his mind, muffled and painful. He turned himself around to see the rope lifted to the top as he heard the sound of victim's being disjointed and even ripped apart.

"**Perhaps I should have stopped at some point…**"

Daniel looked at the ground and saw it covered with blood. He looked to the weight and the walls around him.

"**Ok, those bells are annoying me, so we're gonna run out of here now…**"

Daniel was breaking. He had no idea what bells Lani was speaking of, his sense of direction was failing him, and his pain only multiplied as he heard the pain of others. In a panic he lit his lantern and looked around himself after stepping out of the doorway. He saw the walls and every stone but he was convinced something would be there. Something had to be. He put out his lantern and ran. The moment he exited the door the castle groaned and shook again.

"**And-**"

Daniel closed the door, frightened and worried, and the castle slowly calmed. There was fog on the ground and Daniel's vision was blurred with terror and pain.

"**Something stupid this way comes.**"

_But you're already here, Lani. We can handle a lesser stupid._

At least Daniel was up to making quips again. As the ground beneath him creaked Daniel slowly stumbled to the spiral staircase. The railing was a god-sent given his weak legs, but he was still well aware this may prove to be a terrible idea.

"**Now let's try the top of these stairs up here…**"

Lani grunted as Daniel pulled himself upwards, relying more on his arms than his legs.

"**Spiral staircases…Daniel's new worst enemy!**"

Lani chuckled. Perhaps he would find it less funny if he were in this situation of blinding pain instead.

"**You know, Daniel, it's not gonna be nearly as hard going down when I toss you down these.**"

_Fuck you, Lani…_

At last Daniel reached the top and was promptly greeted by one of Alexander's portraits.

"**Hey, how's it going?**"

The upper level looked like the earlier portions of the castle; portions before monsters, the bedroom, and so on.

"**Alexander.**"

Closer to the stair-top was a portrait of the crucifixion. It appeared to be just after Jesus had been nailed and propped-up. Daniel looked away, hunching over to cope with pain. He heard a light thud, as if a book had fallen to the floor. The fluttering sound of wings sounded again.

"…**know there's a door right there, but…**"

Daniel used the railing of the stairs as a crutch as he made his way to Alexander's portrait. The man looked cold, cruel, and dignified. He was indeed a baron.

"**S'up, freak?**"

Daniel inwardly groaned.

_Every time…._

Lani hummed and the flapping sound of a bird's wings presented itself again as Daniel made his way to the only door on this level. Inside was a single room fitted to be another office or study. It was well lit and came complete with bookcases, decorations, a large rug, and the always present couple of a desk and chair. To the left was the one thing that did not quite fit with the room's theme: one of the layered metal end tables littered with a saw wheel, a hammer, scalpels, and a tinderbox.

"**Tinder! While I ignore the saw blades, the hammer, and the…**"

The desk was covered with brown paper, old books, an old oil lamp of an eastern design, a bottle of ink with a quill, and a neat coil of white string.

"**R – string!**"

Daniel took the string and left the drawers alone for now. He turned his attention to the first bookcase and saw a precious jar of lantern oil waiting for him.

"**Oh my God…praise be to all the-**"

The fluttering sound happened again and Daniel looked back for its source.

"**Ok, seriously, are there birds in here?**"

Nothing came forth and nothing made a sound. Daniel collected the oil as his ears began ringing. The ringing was annoying and grew steadily painful as it persisted.

"**Let's see, I got string now.**"

Daniel looked through his satchel to consider what he could use the string on.

"**Uh…oh my God, maybe I can make, like, a flail.**"

The pieces of the Orb called to Daniel, glimmering in the room's light. Daniel lifted the blue piece out of his bag and stared at it in wonder, the ringing sound leaving his ears. He made himself snap away from its grasp, shoving it back with the other pieces in his bag.

"**No? Ok, uh, how 'bout a…meat flail?**"

_Oh brilliant idea, Lani, what could possibly be more threatening?_

"**No, ok…bucket flail?**"

The glass jar did seem an appropriate companion for the string, so Daniel fastened it just below the opening where it would hold on the best.

"**Glass jar with string…ok. I'll deal with that as I can.**"

Daniel returned his focus to the desk and opened the side compartment, finding one of Alexander's memory capsules.

"**Hey, another one of these guys.**"

He crouched down and reached for the capsule. His touch brought on a screen of white and Lani's dramatic reading after an annoying screech.

"**Ahhh!**"

_Ugh…._

"**Is it you, my love, I-**"

Lani had started with a whining voice of mockery, but the words seemed to tell him a more appropriate tone was needed. He started again with a heartfelt, depressing, and even serious voice, one completely different than any Daniel would associate with Lani.

"**Is it you, my love, I miss the most, or is it perhaps myself? I know what I have become, I am not blind. I am a monster to them, a demonic sultan perched on a dark mountain top.**"

Lani broke off to note how impressive Alexander's words were.

"**How poetic.**"

_Lani, I'm going blind, please hurry up._

"**There is little I can do to redeem myself. The Black Eagle fears me and after Napoleon's defeat it is only a matter of time before they will demand my head on a platter. I must remove myself from this land. This is the time – This time it must work. If I can't return home now, I shall perish.**"

Daniel's eyes could take no more of the light and he released his grasp, causing the light to fade away.

_Simply knowing you're a monster isn't enough, Alexander. Your head should be on a platter. You don't care about your crimes; you only acknowledge that you've committed them!_

"**Somebody pissed off somebody…**"

Daniel opened the top drawer of the desk and found another piece of paper.

"**Paper . Notes on torture, here we go.**"

Notes on Torture

There are quite a few things to be said about torture. I had figured that the reaction I would get from the victims would be highly individual. Thankfully this is not the case. The humans all have a very similar approach to dealing with physical pain and the terror of anticipation.

I can't stress enough the importance of restraining the victims before proceeding. Even the most timid creature can break out in fits of violence where their strength exceeds their expected prowess. If proper care has been put into breaking the victim, this should not be a problem, but it will also hinder the effect I am after. The right steps to take are, therefore: to restrain while the victim is still dazed, proceed by presenting the form of torture you are about to apply,and then to continue with the actual act.

The point of presentation is to infuse terror. The human mind is extremely efficient, as it will trigger itself into greater fear simply by imagining it. While applying pain, make sure to avoid massive damage as it will prove more efficient if the process can be sustained. Also, apply the pain in doses, if possible with breaks to let the body settle. If you are whipping or cutting the victim, strike once, wait for the pain to subdue, then strike again.

As long as the body suffers it will continue to produce the vitae and saturate the blood with its properties. Only with careful performance will the victim yield maximum effect. If the victim doesn't behave as expected, it is likely that all will be for naught. Before this happens, feed them the Amnesia drink and try again later.

"**The Amnesia drink! Hey, hey, Daniel…you been chugging on something?**"

_Only for good reasons, Lani._

After tucking the note among the others in his journal, Daniel checked the other drawers and found nothing.

"**That's all of it.**"

Daniel's legs cried again from abuse and Daniel crouched down, somehow not increasing the pain. With his legs in this state it was easier to apply pressure and if needed he could ignore his dignity and just crawl.

"**Do the duck-walk.**"

_How is this even like a duck?_

The portrait of Alexander stared down at Daniel, making him feel even more insignificant and that was enough to motivate him back to his feet in defiance.

"**Don't know why I was possessed to do that…. All right, Daniel-**"

The Orb pieces pulsed through the bag's material, calling to Daniel. The blue piece he had held was especially loud and forceful as Alexander's portrait seemed to become more and more threatening.

"That shimmering blue light…"

Daniel returned to the room, away from Alexander's stare.

"**Shimmering in the light…enchantment! …I didn't miss anything over here did I? No…**"

The Orb pieces pulsed and felt as if they were becoming a part of Daniel's body.

"**Let's see…let's fill up some of that lantern oil.**"

There was hardly any left, and hardly over half the lantern was full after Daniel added two more jars' worth. There was only one jar left like usual, along with twelve tinderboxes, five vials of sweet laudanum, a hammer and chisel, a leg of meat, a glass jar with a string, a crank for God knows what, and three Orb pieces of various colors including red, purple, and sea-green blue. Closing the satchel, Daniel made himself stop worrying over the portrait and made his way down the stairs.

"**Yeah, Daniel, if I could I would throw you down these stairs.**"

_As I would you._

The fluttering sound of wings came for what was at least the twentieth time.

"**Think one of these birds would do it for me?**"

There was nowhere left to search in this area, and hopefully the other would have no monsters either. After all, these areas had been by Agrippa for so long and the room he was in seemed untouched by monsters. That meant safety, right?

"**That's the door I came in through, so…that's the door I leave through. 'Cause I can't think of anything else to do in here.**"

Daniel exited the room and made his way to the Nave.

"'**Cause I already grabbed these Orb pieces…**"

After the door was closed and Daniel was standing in darkness he heard the distict sound of water splashing. He quickly lit his lantern and saw nothing.

"**Splash, splash…**"

Soon Daniel remembered the water monster in the well and reentered the room.

"**Is that you splashing in here?**"

A torch was burning in the room so Daniel put his lantern out and away. He looked at the rope hanging above the well and followed it with his eyes to a crank that controlled a pulley system.

"**Wait a minute…crank…**"

Cautious as always, Daniel went to the edge of the well.

"**I know! You're hungry, aren't you?**"

_Better to feed it then have it hunger for me I suppose._

Daniel's own hunger had long since past so the meat would only ruin the contents of his satchel. He tied it to the end of rope, securing it tightly and sweating as he leaned over the well to do so. Lani laughed a bit.

"**Oh my God, you're hungry! Ok, I'll feed you monster.**"

_I hope it appreciates this._

Daniel went to the crank and began lowering the meat into the well.

"**Don't worry, here you go. Gonna…nice, little snack….**"

The crank could no longer turn and Daniel heard the monster fiercely devour after the meat. No water splashed out but Daniel hurried to look down to possibly see a change.

"**Don't be a pig! Chew! Chew!**"

The rope swayed but there was no other visual difference. Daniel realized that the monster had no idea it was him who had fed it and that he probably should have kept the meat to throw. It may have been hopeless now but Daniel ran to lift it back up.

"**Ok, you know, if you're gonna be like that you're not gonna be able to eat the rest of it. Huh, how about that?**"

Daniel turned the crank quickly but when the rope came back up it only held a bone.

"**Hu-bu-ta-awww…**"

_Well that's better than nothing._

"**Who's a piggy monster?**"

The monster was silent as Daniel went and took the bone. The only sound was a small gurgle from below.

" **I am **_**so **_**confused.**"

Daniel went to leave and heard the monster snarl and writhe in the water.

"**Shut up, I fed you!**"

A nicely sized rock was resting beside the well, and a thought struck Daniel. The monster would not know that he fed it, and it would not know if he hurt it either. He took the rock and held it over the well.

"**Shut up.**"

He dropped the rock. Shortly after, as Daniel walked away, there was a splash from the rock followed by a louder splash from the monster. It was satisfying.

"**No, you! I'll drop a bigger one!**"

Daniel grabbed a rock roughly three or four times the size of the last one and dropped it down the well. It splashed and Daniel began to leave again. The hellish beast splashed and growled in anger and possibly pain. Daniel looked back to the well.

"**Ok, if you're gonna be like that…you stay down there.**"

Two was enough for now, as Daniel had places to go and knew he was tempting fate. He left and closed the door behind himself.

"**Manners of some monsters…**"

Agrippa's voice reached Daniel before the sight of him did.

"_Daniel, good to see you…_"

"**Yeah, good to see you too, Agrippa – shut the fuck up!**"

"_You seem to have found all the orb pieces used in the Transept. Go to the Choir and find the rest._"

Daniel nodded and made a note of his new mission.

_Thank you for your help._

"**Choir…kay.**"

Lani whistled as Daniel traveled down the second path to the Choir. The path had a few turns, unsettling sounds from the castle, and a pile of rocks and boulders against a wall.

"**Rocks…**"

Along the way Daniel found a wooden door like in the other hall.

"**Door…let's explore, shall we?**"

Inside was a bookcase with the usual clutter, as well as a tinderbox.

"**Tinder!**"

Books and papers were on the ground between the bookcase and another desk that was also littered with the usual things. Its chair was upright and a note rested in front of it on the desk's top.

"**Paper…candle…**"

Despite all of his time in the horrid darkness Daniel still did not have night-vision and had to light said candle to read and save his oil.

Agrippa Channels Weyer

Weyer taunts me from the other side. I trusted him with my true reason for my efforts and still he insists on me releasing Agrippa. How an enlightened man can show such lack of compassion in a seat of power disgusts me. I can't bring myself to part from Agrippa as he is and has been for centuries my only link to the worlds beyond.

Weyer claims he tries his best to release me from my banishment, but that he needs me to give him Agrippa first so he too can help. If he could guarantee success, I would happily oblige, but how am I to part from him if my return might be denied. I know what they are capable of, I have seen their deception.

Optimism is a most hopeless feeling, but I must retain it. I shall prepare for his release.

To release Agrippa without killing him, Weyer told me to feed him a tonic made from a paralyzer, vitae, and Tampter.

"**Ok, I just need to find those things! …Oh, thank you.**"

_Is someone else there? I don't need anyone else in my head!_

The poisonous fungi should work as a paralyzer if I can find the internal gland from a large specimen. The Choir seems to be a fertile grounds for this sort.

"**Ok, so look for fungus.**"

I should then be able to extract its contents with the proper tools.

The vitae could be extracted as usual from any agonized human victim's blood.

"**Ok, so I need blood.**"

_Most of the blood here is dried though, and it may create a different effect._

"**See Daniel, you should've kept the knife.**"

_Lani!_

I just need large amounts to distill it properly. Remember to collect this during the next torture session.

Tampter on the other hand will prove more difficult. I don't think it exists in this world.

"**Ah, damnit…**"

_Please let it be in a vile or something somewhere…._

Simply writing the word with these letters looks wrong. I believe it's a property of the secretion in the water dwelling Kaernk.

_Ah, so that's what they're called._

"**Is that what those water monsters are called?**"

…_._

"**Wait…**_**the secretion of the water dw**_** – OH! Heh-heh, I just got that inadvertently, awesome.**"

_The bone! Oh thank God! We'll have to work fast though, it may not last long._

I will have to address Weyer with this as he will have to supply me with a host. Also a properly prepared well should suffice to contain it.

Daniel tucked away the note and wrote down the items he needed to make the tonic Agrippa had asked about earlier.

_He'll be so pleased!_

Another bookcase was to the right and it held something that made Daniel pleased: laudanum.

"**Laudanum…how much laudanum do I have, Christ?**"

Daniel checked; he had six vials in his satchel, as well as twelve tinder boxes and one jar of lantern oil.

"**God, Daniel, if you don't start getting hurt soon we're gonna have nothing to do with that laudanum.**"

_I'm in pain but I believe it's best to wait for fresh wounds. Having excess laudanum is a very good thing, Lani. I don't want to have to use it; I simply want it there in case as a comforter._

Daniel began searching the desk and found another capsule in the right compartment.

"**Oh, one of these things again.**"

He reached out and touched it, waiting for Lani to read as he withstood the blinding light. Lani wailed as the light came on and read nothing. He mumbled at first but then said nothing, repeating this a few times seemingly to aggravate Daniel before settling into his acting portion of the reading.

"**In court, the order…spew politics at each other…sit quietly in place, willfully forgotten. Once in a while someone will notice me and lose themselves in a silent cower before regaining their senses. They all know I am the one and the same Alexander who helped their fathers and grandfather to found this great Order. I've seen them take their fathers' places, and they too will grow old and pass away. While I remain the same, aged not by time, but by anguish.**"

Daniel released the capsule, his eyes stinging.

"**Ok, dude, seriously, you don't seem to have a problem. I mean, you're immortal, apparently…why are you going through all this shit?**"

While Lani pondered Daniel checked the drawers; the bottom was empty, the second held tinder, and the top was empty.

"**Tinder! Uh…nothing.**"

A quick look around and Daniel moved on.

"**I mean, really dude…you have no reason to…be hatin' on all these people.**"

Daniel lit a torch by the door for later and went to a metal lined door that most likely led to the Choir.

"**The Choir!**"

Now Daniel's suspensions were confirmed. Past the door was a long hall that was lined with candles, all or most lit and glowing brightly.

"**Oh, a nicely lit place too.**"

Something was crackling, most likely wood, as Daniel walked along. There was a section with no candles but instead doors on either side. He opened the door to the right and saw more lit candles and a sort of table or altar in the center. Upon entering the room he saw a large star beneath it, decorated with strange runes or pictures of some sort.

"**Table…**"

There were metal bands on the table, two for the wrists and two for the ankles. Dried blood stained the spot where the back and head would have laid. Even if the ingredients for the tonic were on Daniel's mind he would have dismissed it as being too dry.

"**The ritual began…**"

Daniel was hardly able to remember what had happened here, but vague memories pushed and pulled at him. He busied himself with the surrounding tables that held the candles. Among the usual clutter of torture rooms was a tinderbox.

"**Tinder!**"

Across the room was little else, but another tinder box hid on the ground behind a stand holding two large sheets of paper.

"**More tinder.**"

Under the other table was a metal bucket that held nothing inside.

"**Trashcan…!**"

The rest of the room was empty as well as disturbing. Daniel knew the other room would be no better but he went to in anyway.

"**Ok, let's see what's in this one; perhaps some more tinder.**"

The room looked similar, but the altar was turned the other way, there were more candles, and a note rested atop the dried blood.

"**Or not…um…a letter…uh…there's nothing else, I'll read the damn letter.**"

Daniel took the letter and blacked out with a whimper. He felt weak and fell as his memories from before broke their way into existence.

"**Blacking out…**"

In the darkness of Daniel's world, he heard his old voice speak. He was reciting the contents of the letter.

"15th of August 1839 – The blood wards are failing. The Shadow beckons and its cry disarms my actions."

"**Excuses, Daniel!**"

Vision returned, but it was a blurred vision of the past. The altar had a victim; a man with a sack over his head and some form of cloth dressing his lower half writhing in pain.

"**Woah! Hi there…buddy…**"

"Hurry, no time to spare. You have to kill another."

_I…I can't…_

"**Daniel?**"

"Alexander produces a knife. He wants me to cut the flesh."

The sound of metal scraping across metal was loud; the knife was being sharpened.

"Do it, save yourself. He is a murderer, Daniel. He is evil – a cold blooded killer."

_That's right…I am the innocent here…I deserve to live!_

There was a knife on the previously empty table to his right; the blade twisted in waves for added agony. The knife called to him.

"**You really did this, didn't you?**"

Daniel looked back and forth from the knife and the man. The man deserved it, and the knife was there. Daniel deserved to live more than this man, and more than any of the other criminals.

"Hurry!"

"**You psychotic son of a bitch!**"

Daniel took the dagger.

"Alexander,"

Lani mocked Daniel's speech.

"**Alex-OND-er!**"

"you must let me be. I have to concentrate."

"**Pleeeeeeease!**"

_SHUT UP!_

Daniel was having far worse concentration issues than his former self.

"Paint the man, cut the lines. Cut the flesh, watch the blood spill – let it come."

His former self was unfazed; he was calm and systematic. Daniel's current self was still shaking, but slowly he found himself becoming one with his old self.

"**Daniel…**"

The victim was now decorated with green paint. Symbols covered his chest and glowed in the candle light.

"**You are taking far too much pleasure in this, buddy.**"

Daniel readied his dagger and saw his vision become black once more as he went to cut.

"**Touch the man…**"

The flesh was severed by his hand as his past self faded out and Daniel himself picked up where he left off, the whole time carving the skin from memory of the movements.

"Please, I didn't do anything. Muh-muh-muuuh!"

Lani laughed but Daniel paid it no mind.

"**Daniel?**"

"Pain the man, cut the lines. Paint the man, cut the lines."

"**NO MORE WIRE HANGERS!**"

Daniel's former self takes the dialogue over.

"Please! The man cries."

Daniel spoke to the quieting man he could not even see.

"Hush, hush – now you sleep."

Vision was his once more, but the man was gone. Lani half-laughed as Daniel continued on about his accomplishment, lost in his past.

"**Oh my God!**"

"I did well. One life for another."

Lani spoke both as Daniel and as one with a mental retardation; Daniel would get to him about that insult later, but for now he was convinced Lani was a product of the Shadow and only wanted him gone.

"**DANIEL DO GOOD!**"

"You hear me, Guardian of the Orb, I did all this for you. Now, once more, withdraw your shadow from my domain."

"**DANIEL DO GOOD!**"

The door behind him squeaked open and Daniel could hear his own heart beating. He turned to the door. Lani acted with the voice again.

"**Daniel!**"

_Shut up, Lani, or I will find a way for you to be next._

Somehow calm, Daniel left the room and walked into a bright flash.

"_**Waaaa~!**_"

Daniel's former self spoke for them both.

"Alexander. There isn't much time. I can feel it. We must act swiftly. I will do whatever it takes."

Daniel sounded determined and ready. The light faded away and Daniel was now standing where he was before at the altar with rose petals falling onto him from above. They went into the floor and ceased falling rather soon.

"**Woah, now I'm in American Beauty.**"

The castle settled itself and Daniel left for real this time.

…_._

"**So, Daniel, I tota-**"

Another victim, identical to the one from before, was hanging upside down from the hall ceiling.

"**Hi…?**"

_It…must be an illusion._

Daniel walked into the body to prove it to himself, but the lifeless corpse swung from the contact instead of becoming nothing. Daniel shuddered and moved around it, his eyes fixated, as Lani made squeaking sounds. Once around the man, Daniel could clearly make out what was painted on him. The symbol was an S in paint that was a sea-green which shone brightly atop the filthy skin.

"**Hey, hey, hey, you did not cut the lines, Daniel! Screwed up your sacrifice. The man's painted…**"

_I WILL SACRIFICE YOU, LANI!_

Daniel headed back towards the room, bumping the man again and causing Lani to squeak, before he came to his senses and turned back. The man was still swinging and Lani continued to squeak.

_Perhaps the other way…_

Daniel turned and saw another man hanging upside down.

"**Oo, another one. Can I throw shit at them?**"

Daniel was in the second room now, and hitting them sounded right. They hadn't been cut, and this was the cleanest alternative. A small hammer was on an end table; it seemed as good a weapon as any for hitting a corpse. He threw it at the second one, Lani's grunt of effort included, and hit its chest. Lani laughed in victory while Daniel slightly smiled.

_Monsters…all monsters…._

"**Ahh…I'm too easily amused.**"

Daniel turned and traveled down the hall way, slightly ashamed that Lani's entertainment was also his own this time.

"**Anyway yeah, Daniel, you're a monster…and I totally called that!**"

_You have no concept of what a monster is and is not, if a good man kills a monster he is a hero, not a monster himself. I sound like a broken record the way I have to repeat myself thanks to you!_

Down the hall was a stairway lined with far less candles that led to another metal-lined door.

"**Now, what's behind this door? A monster, I'm guessing.**"

_Lani we have long since passed the monsters, so long as we are near Agrippa we are safe._

"**Oh! Another area…probably…teeming with monsters...**"

_Lani, every door is 'another area', so let it go._

Daniel opened the door to the Choir's main hall as thoughts of his victims flowed through his mind. The paint on their chests was well done and artwork within itself, a true artisan he must have been not only to paint it but to cut it so well.

"**Cause Lord knows, I am well overdue.**"

Lani groaned as Daniel wished he could, though Lani's sound was more than likely from him stretching his back and arms rather than frustration. The door squeaked as it normally did as Lani made breathy sighs or yawns. The area was very dark and filled with moans of the deceased.

_Perhaps I spoke too soon about the monsters…._

"**Well, this is dark as shit. Um…**"

Alexander forcefully entered Daniel's mind like he did in the morgue. He sounded impatient and frustrated.

"What are my intentions, Daniel?"

Lani attempted to say something but was overpowered by Alexander's words.

"Salvation. It used to be yours. But now you only seek misplaced revenge. How do you justify your violence? Is it for the greater good? Are you doing the world a service?"

Daniel had many retorts for what Alexander said, but only when Lani said such things. Coming from Alexander the words had a new power; an immense power. Inching forward was more than Daniel could handle but he did to prove he was entirely Alexander's slave.

"**I dunno.**"

Lani proved useful in these situations; if Daniel could focus on his hate for him his fear of Alexander could not flourish as well. Daniel moved along the left wall, rushing himself through the darkness.

"It is you who caused all this pain and death. If you had accepted your fate and submitted to the Orb when you first discovered it, none of this would have happened. It is curiosity in league with your selfishness that is killing us both."

"**Tinder.**"

Alexander had stopped speaking, perhaps because he lost power, or because he had said all he felt was needed. Somewhere though Daniel felt it was because he could hear Lani as well and the non-caring stupidity was too much. Daniel crouched down to collect the tinderbox and stayed down in the darkness, unsure of what was in it. The last time Alexander had entered his mind he shook the castle, and the time before that a monster showed shortly after.

"**We're gonna stealth crawl this one, Daniel.**"

_My only hope is that it's an unnecessary precaution…._

"**Even though I do believe you totally deserve to get eaten.**"

_SHUT UP, LANI!_

While defensive, Daniel had taken Alexander's words closer to heart than he did Lani's. He was not suited to deny any such accusation at the moment. Stones shifted somewhere it what Daniel assumed was a vast room based on the large stone pillars. A thick red fog flooded the room but it had no effect other than terrifying Daniel. The fluttering sound came again as Daniel faced a pillar that sat next to the wall.

"**Sh…**"

Daniel paused and tried to look past the fog. He could see nothing more than before and heard nothing either. Lani whispered to him.

"**We must hunt quietly…**"

_We are the hunted, Lani, not the hunters. I would give anything to change that though._

"**For the demon stalks us.**"

_I don't…you…no…._

Daniel crawled further and the rocks shifted again, slightly louder this time. It settled like before and on Daniel went. On the ground there was a spread of large leaves and vines, beneath which Daniel could see the red flesh that had hurt him so many times before. The red fog was somewhat explained now.

"**Don't step on the puss things, those hurt.**"

Rats squeaked and scampered somewhere around him, the plants crackled with each of his movement, and some sort of machinery was moving with the rocks. Daniel tried to look out again but still saw nothing.

"**Keep your eyes peeled, Daniel.**"

The only thing in view was the faint light from two torches in front of him. There was clearly a door, or at least a doorway, between them and it was a bittersweet sight. The room may have been safe, or may hold the very monster he was trying to avoid. He insisted he had to go though as the room most likely held the orb pieces. Plenty of plant life blocked his path and made it difficult to move past in his lowered position.

"**Why are there trees growing down here?**"

The door was metal with a barred window yet no lock. Daniel stayed behind it as he opened it so that anything inside would not see him. Monsters usually gave immediate responses to such things but there was no roar or snarl.

"**Let's see…**"

Inside was just as dark as the outer area, with a few candles lit in the distance; they offered no help unless Daniel were to stare straight at them when he was near though.

"**So confused…**"

The door squeaked shut by Daniel's hand and the walls shook in minor protest. The candles were past a large, circular opening. The attached area was shrouded in red like before, but Daniel could make out a figure. Lani's words were juvenile in tone but clear enough for Daniel to understand what was there.

"**Oh, awesome – maiden! Maiden! Maiden! Maiden! Woo! Maiden!**"

It was an Iron Maiden dead center of the room, surrounded by archways that most likely housed doors to torture rooms; the darkness made every observation of Daniel's mere guesswork. He stepped closer and closer to the artifact, curious, and walked up the platform it stood on. Daniel was already too close to the contraption for comfort when it flung its doors open, releasing a cloud of thick red fog. There were screams trapped with the fog that flew out, attacking Daniel's ears and sanity as he stumbled backwards, looking to the light above which came through a single hole above the cursed thing. Lani was far from fazed.

"**Maiden!**"

The room swirled around Daniel, but at least the lighting was better. The orb pieces in his satchel pulsed with terror and anguish. As ironic as it seemed, Daniel believed the Iron Maiden would be his salvation.

_Your story…give me your story!_

"**Don't worry, Daniel, she just wants to give you a hug. Give her a nice hug.**"

Daniel reached into the Maiden, resting his burnt hand against the spikes. His hand was almost numb to the metal as the bright light came to his eyes to give Lani a new selection of words. Lani used various accents, none of which Daniel could place.

"**The forger stood absolutely still. The casket had been closed but a faint light made its way inside. A myriad of spikes pointed at him. Glittering as they waited for his body to slip just for a moment. His knee jerked and he felt blood trickle down his leg. In pain his head fell slightly forward. It took him a while to realize his eye had ruptured and begun to leak.**"

Daniel released the spikes as barely a drop of his blood was drawn. After all he had withstood, the spikes gave little pain.

"**That would be kind of painful wouldn't it, Daniel?**"

_I suppose…._

His legs made him bitter as he continued through the area more soulless than scared. The orb pieces were sucking his life away rather than filling it with fear, and he knew that if this continued as he gathered the other pieces he may very well die before his mission is complete.

"**I do believe there was something said about um…Orb pieces here.**"

In the back of the room was another human0sized cage but nothing of use.

"**I'm guessing they're in these rooms.**"

The far right archway was a thin cut out of stone, hardly wide enough for two men. Inside there was another cage – this one with spikes, a bone, and no orb piece.

"**Unless I actually have to kill a monster to get one at one point – which would be **_**amazing**_**!**"

Daniel walked back to the Iron Maiden, wanting her comfort of justice served.

"**Maybe I have to lure them into this thing? Maybe it'll go in a blind charge – RAAAAWR! Jump – NOOOO! **_**Blsh**_** – adadadada~!**"

…_I believe you are insane._

"**I'm over thinking this…**"

Daniel entered another 'room'. There was bright red staining on the back wall and in the midst of it an equally bright red piece of the Orb.

"**There it is…so the other question is how many pieces are down here?**"

_There are six in total, so there should be three here._

Daniel calmly continued, his breaths catching every now and again and becoming whimpers that kept him from fully crying. He had to be strong, no matter what had happened and no matter what he had done.

"**I know there's tinder down here!**"

Daniel collected the infernal yet holy box and moved on. The area housed so many archways and places to look.

"**Always has to be tinder where there's torture going on. Anything in here?**"

One of the other 'rooms' held no equipment or stains but a small vial was in its corner.

"**Why would you put laudanum down here? That stops pain. You don't want to stop pain in a torture room.**"

It was unconventional but Daniel was thankful anyway. Daniel's breaths continued to shake as tears started welling in his eyes. He had done so much; so many wrong things were done by his hands.

_Alexander made me this way…it is his fault and he must perish!_

"**Oh Daniel, grow the fuck up.**"

_SHUT THE FUCK UP, LANI! I SWEAR TO CHRIST YOU WILL GO WITH HIM!_

"**Wow…really losing it buddy…too bad I don't have any you know, like, anti-psychotics.**"

Daniel was lost in rage and delusions from the past. He found himself walking down a long hallway and opening the door back out after collecting only a single piece of the Orb. With a deep breath Daniel lowered himself again and left the torture room. Lani made a sound as Daniel moved and panted before he spoke.

"**Best way I can think to do this is just to hug the walls. We're gonna eventually find our way all around this.**"

Around one of the massive pillars was a pile of bones including a skull and a ribcage. Daniel's breaths shook even more, they were becoming louder and the orb pieces fueled his fear.

"**Yesh.**"

Daniel tried to force his breathing to calm down but that lasted only for moments at a time. Red still soaked the room, making it impossible for Daniel to see past his own nose.

"**Let's see here…da, da, da…**"

The rocks settled again as Daniel moved past a fallen pillar. Lani mumbled something but Daniel could not have understood it even if he did care enough to try. The wall had ended with a deep pit that most likely led to death. Reluctantly Daniel moved down the middle of the area rather than the edge.

"**So much for my sticking to the wall pattern…**"

Soon a door became visible past the red fog.

"**Ok, that's where I came in, I think…**"

Daniel touched the frame, recognizing it just enough to leave it.

"**Yep, entrance…**"

The opposite wall was now where Daniel stayed, moving along side it now. His feet shifted along with what sounded to him like booming noise as the same fluttering sound came again. Plant life was everywhere again as Daniel left the wall and moved to an odd piece of stone. Before he could examine anything or go on he felt a chill blast through him, magnified by the Orb pieces. There was a curious-sounding groan from a monster, from an unknown source lost in the room's echo. Daniel hurried to a pillar, something to hide behind and against as the noise finished.

_B-but Agrippa is near! There can't be any monsters! Not here, not anymore!_

"**Where is it?**"

This was maddening. Daniel hurried at his full height, desperate for speed and salvation. His prayers were somewhat answered when he saw a door.

"**Let's get out of here, Daniel.**"

It was the same door to the hallway but he did not care, Daniel left anyway.

"**Cause we don't know where that thing's coming from…all we know is that they can't go between zones, suckers!**"

_What do you mean 'zones'?_

Once back in the entrance hall of the Choir Daniel watched the door intensely. It did not matter what Lani said, that monster could and would break down this door.

"**Hm…let's see, still going completely insane, Daniel?**"

…_._

"**Yeah…let's see, we need blood…for that tonic thing.**"

Daniel thought he knew where to look and ran back up the stairs to leave this rotten Choir.

"**So we can at least go collect some of that I'm guessing…while you're, uh, you know, **_**being a bitch!**_"

_LANI, I WILL HANG YOU UPSIDEDOWN WITH THESE MEN!_

Daniel entered the Nave as a fly pestered him with its buzzing sounds.

"**So let's go to that, uh…place where that guy got sawed in half; there was a drain under him.**"

It appeared that Lani had had the same thought as Daniel. The door squeaked shut and welcomed Daniel back into darkness as the fly continued.

"**Buzz, buzz, buzz…**"

Daniel lit his lantern and made his way towards the second gateway as Agrippa greeted him from afar.

"_Ah, you again._"

_I found Weyer's recipe, and I believe I can get an ingredient back here._

"**Yes, Agrippa, shut up.**"

"_Incredible – you found Weyer's recipe. There might still be a chance._"

The water monster splashed in its room as Daniel made a note.

"**Yes, I found Weyer's recipe – shut up water monster!**"

Daniel entered the Transept and Lani gave the understated version of how Daniel felt.

"**I am so sick of everything.**"

_I suppose that's one of the few things we have in common, but unlike me you aren't physically doing anything._

Lani sighed as he and Daniel looked over the expansive room and its doors.

"**Now which one was the one where the guy got sawed in half?**"

_I believe…the one to the right._

Daniel ran for the door, afraid the area would break like the others if he did not hurry.

"**This one over here, right? I think.**"

The hall past the door led to pure darkness once more and as before it begged for the lantern's use.

"**Who put out my light?**"

They passed a corner and saw a lit candle; Daniel put out the lantern.

"**Nope, there it is.**"

A rat squeaked.

"**Little ratty-rat.**"

_Why must you always sound so endeared when speaking of vermin?_

Eventually they reached the metal door with its barred window and Daniel pulled it open. The wooden frame stood under the light of a hanging lantern; they had been right about the room.

"**Here we are…**"

The drain beneath the wooden structure was stained an orange-red, as was the stone around it. Daniel crouched down and saw beyond the bars to a draining pipe. Blood was most likely gone by now, but a try was a try. He opened the small gate, staining his hands in the process, and saw a large collection of blood. There had been word of problems in the sewer, though Daniel was not sure if that applied here. Whatever the case, they found what they needed.

"**Yep, there it is. All right now, let's just use that, and…**"

Daniel took the jar with string tied around it and lowered it down. Blood filled the jar and ran off the side as it was removed, partially covering Daniel again.

"**Bloop. Hey, it worked.**"

Daniel closed the gate, becoming quite ill from all the blood. If he had simply put it back with his things they would all be covered in blood, so despite the mental repercussions he wiped it clean on his shirt sleeves. There was an extraordinary amount; it looked as if he had just killed a man. He tried to clean his hands by wiping them on his pants but that only stained his clothes alongside his skin. Lani returned to singing in Latin, or at least the parts Daniel could understand were Latin. One of the odd things Daniel remembered was a quality of opera; no matter the language the singers used you would most likely only understand a few words because of their pitch and tone. An opera singer could have sung plain English but to Daniel it would like beautiful gibberish half the time. While not an opera singer, Lani did have a similar effect.

"**Foedus dominus! Sonti - …tinder!**"

_League master…of sons? Lani just because you can say Latin words does not make them correct._

Daniel could remember the meaning of Latin words and spot that the first two Lani used were both in the nominative case, meaning they should both be the subject and cannot coexist as such (unless of course foedus had been used in accusative or vocative singular as the versions sounded the same, but it still was not right without more words.), but he could not remember the layout of the castle and how to bypass the monsters. Selective amnesia is a bitch that way. Daniel collected the tinderbox from beneath the illustration of the man being sawed in half and left.

_If the trick to leaving this castle was Latin I might have stood a better chance and not be injured._

The halls were still drenched in darkness save the one corner lit by a candle. A rat, probably the same one from before, squeaked as Daniel's head pounded. He could feel the blood mat his sleeves to his skin and he knew his arms would be stained as well. At last Daniel emerged to the main area.

"**Kay, Daniel, are you still freaking out here? Ok, head pounding hard shaking, good.**"

_You have an odd definition of 'good'._

"**That's much better than we were.**"

_This is a bit of a hollow victory, Lani._

Daniel ran onwards, looking up briefly to see a body suspended in a cage.

"'**Sup, dude?**"

He could not be bothered by the damned and the dead, Daniel had to hurry for reasons he was not positive about. His ears rang again as he approached the main door and left back to the Nave.

"**Ah, good old water…**"

_You have water? Why is it you seem to be in safety and luxury while I'm here?_

Daniel made sure to think that before he had actually entered the Nave, in case Agrippa was to hear.

"_Was there something else…?_"

_I found one more ingredient, but I still have to search the Choir again._

"**What?**"

The thought of returning there was terrifying though, and chatting with Agrippa was much better so Daniel returned to where he was strung up.

"_You are a good boy, Daniel –_"

Lani used the mentally challenged voice again and it took every ounce of Daniel's control to not yell at him.

"**DANIEL DO GOOD!**"

"- _and I appreciate your company, but I believe you have more important thing to take care of._"

"**DANIEL GOOD!**"

Daniel's hands twitched at his sides; he wished he could actually hit Lani.

_I understand, Agrippa._

Daniel left, not wanting to understand. He did not want to get the Orb pieces or face monsters anymore. All Daniel wanted was to leave this place and be safe. He wanted adventure no longer, and found his past as an archeologist now one of horror. Anything could happen and one of the worst things did. His job had landed him a curse and in this living hell; Daniel wanted no more part in any of that or this.

"**PAINT LINES, CUT FLESH!**"

Lani's mockery was not even right. The words were wrong and so long as Daniel was in the Nave he could not think a thing. If anything motivated him towards the Choir it was the promise of freedom to think whatever he wanted towards Lani.

"**Daniel good…**"

A rat squeaked and a man groaned as Daniel hurried to the Choir's entrance. The noises did very little; they were simply background sound now. A more annoying sound was that of Lani chewing; he had water and snacks apparently. The stone walls around Daniel settled in place under the castle's pressure as he ran down the hall and entered the Choir.

"**Ok, Daniel…watch, the monsters waiting there: 'I SAW WHERE YOU WENT MOTHER-FUCKER.'**"

_LANI!_

The Choir was still drenched in darkness and red fog. The door shut loudly behind Daniel, making him nervous as any sound did in areas like this.

"**Ok, Daniel, let's figure this out, shall we?**"

Daniel stayed low and moved away from the door, guided by the pillars.

"**Now there's a bridge down that way…right over here, actually.**"

Stones moved and settled loudly around Daniel and he kept moving. A rat squeaked repeatedly, it was possibly being hurt.

"**Something down this way as well…**"

Stone and plants were all around, but the plant life made loud sounds as Daniel moved through them. The stones settled shortly after though, possibly masking his sounds.

"**Another bridge…**"

Daniel found the start of said bridge and moved across it, hoping the monster did not reside atop it. The stone was turning green further down the bridge and Daniel could not figure out why. A rat squeaked again as plants rustled.

"**Be very, very quiet, Daniel…**"

The bridge seemed to have no point when Daniel came off of it to the same surroundings as before. He moved around one of the end posts and heard a monster moan. The sound echoed all around Daniel, hiding its source no matter how hard Daniel listened. It persisted for what seemed like a long time as Daniel looked around himself for any sign of the beast.

"**Don't anger the cow…**"

_Lani, I don't care how much that sounded like 'moo' to you, shut up!_

The rat squeaked again as Daniel moved, staying low and constantly looking back. His head pounded and every sound seemed like it was blasting his ears. It was hard to breathe and any sudden change of sound, even the simple rustle of plants, was enough to break him further. Daniel hated this place; he wanted to return to Mayfair. Memories of that place were dim and almost nonexistent but Mayfair had to be better than this. Daniel came across a fallen pillar he could have sworn he had seen before. At this point simply crying behind it sounded nice.

"**Calm the hell down, Daniel, we don't even see it.**"

_Is that supposed to make things better? It could appear at any moment and slaughter me, and by extensions you, and you want me to feel better because I can't see it?_

A child cried out; weeping. The gender could not be determined from the cry, but the child sounded even younger than the little girl; the little bitch.

"**See? Nothing to get your panties in a bunch about…**"

_I don't even understand that and I'm insulted._

Daniel had reached a wall and traveled along it now.

"**I'll admit I'm doing a pretty good record of not getting you killed, considering how much I fucking hate you!**"

_All you have done this entire time is identify rooms and ramble on with insults and confusing things I don't understand in the least! Stop acting so entitled and like you're such a good person. You are no better than I, and are probably much worse than I am! I may have killed, but I killed the wicked for innocent life. You have done Lord knows what considering how little you have actually cared for the dead you claim make me a monster! You are not holy, you are not a good man by any means; you are a bastard!_

There was silence. Stones still settled and occasionally the walls shook slightly but the silence of Lani made everything seem silent.

"**Probably doesn't help that I have no clue where the fuck I am right now, Daniel…**"

_And I do?_

"**So I'm probably going to get us killed down here.**"

_Oh joy, I get to die with you._

"**And by us, I mean I'm getting you killed.**"

_If I die you die, Lani._

As if the world were giving Daniel a parting gift, Daniel saw a jar of lantern oil sitting between a pillar and a large rock. Light was not allowed here but Daniel gratefully took the jar for later.

"'**Cause quite frankly, I'm not gonna die if you die.**"

…_you're lying. You are an illusion. You exist solely in my mind, however real you may seem. If I die, you die._

Denial was Daniel's friend.

"**Crawling around in this goddamn crypt, looking for Orb pieces…**"

Sanctuary was in sight; there was a door surrounded by light. It could have been the same door from before or a different one, it was hard to tell here, but either way it was a welcomed change. Daniel stayed to the wall though, collecting a rock that had been in his path.

"**Don't worry, Daniel, we got a rock. We will smash the crap – hey…fungus.**"

Indeed there was a cloud of green fog surrounding a patch of mushrooms. The ingredients of Weyer's tonic came to mind as Daniel felt accomplishment sweep over him. A particularly large and seemingly inverted mushroom grew in what was roughly the center of the patch. It was shining with slime so rather than dirty himself further, not that it made much difference now, Daniel hit the mushroom with his rock. It stuck to the slime four hits in a row.

"**Ew…**"

Daniel gave up and threw the rock instead, promptly shattering the mushroom to reveal a center bulb and a puff of blue smoke.

"**Ew!**"

The bulb was a poison gland and Daniel took it, noticing how hard it's outer layer was before putting it in his satchel.

"**Yeah, just, touch that with your bare hands, go ahead…**"

The noise was not greeted by and monster sounds but Daniel hurried into the door as if one were charging.

"**That's safe…**"

Daniel shut the door behind him and walked down a long hallway.

"**See, Daniel? Have I led you astray so far?**"

_It's possible you've tried but I've been repressing the memories of our time together even if those are practically my only memories._

Down the hall was a bull made of metal, brass Daniel thought. A small collection of fire was beneath it and its purpose was clear. A pipe extended from the bull's mouth most likely to release smoke and maintain the brass' shape. There was a panel across the bull's back like a saddle with a hook on both ends on it and on the main brass of the bull so that it could be tied or locked shut. No prisoner could escape the bull.

"**Brass Bull, huh?**"

Daniel wanted its story. He was not sure how such things had become comforting to him, but hearing the wicked receive punishment was now a treat. Daniel reached out to touch the panel and saw the bright light come forth.

"**The traitor did not know what to think of the brass bull…enter it.**"

_Read all of it, Lani._

"**Only when the fire began to scorch his skin and cook his flesh did he realize it was his tomb. His screams of pain echoed inside the brass chamber and travelled through the complex instrument which was the bull's head. Outside the man could hear the brazen bull bellow.**"

Daniel relinquished his touch and saw the light leave.

"**Charming. Where is that orb piece?**"

The only place to look aside from the bull was around the pillars. Orb pieces had not been directly involved with torture devices yet so Daniel searched the pillars, immediately finding a thin blue piece behind the first one he checked.

"**Maybe in the brass bull…**"

_May as well._

Daniel lifted the panel open and saw no signs of an orb piece or even staining from use.

"**No?**"

The wood below was the only thing that showed use as it appeared to be in the midst of transitioning into ash. Lantern oil was somewhat scarce at the moment and the firewood was as good a light source as any so Daniel lit it.

"**Oo, I can light it, awesome. Ha, cool…**"

_You are too easily amused, Lani._

Daniel stood back up and watched the brass reflect the light which warmed his feet. After a few moments the panel slammed itself shut and released the pained screams of one of its victims. Daniel stumbled back and looked about himself in panic as the man screamed from beyond his grave.

"**I'm sorry phantom man!**"

The bull shook and what sounded like the groan of a monster, or even 'moo', came from the pipe that extended from its mouth. For Daniel though the sound could have been from anywhere. As the sound proceeded and Daniel saw nothing behind him he understood just what its source was.

"**Did I hurt you, Daniel? **_**Head pounding, hands shaking**_**, shut the fuck up, Christ.**"

_WHY ARE YOU NEVER SCARED!_

Daniel headed back out, neglecting to finish his search for the orb pieces.

"**Wait, so, one two…I have all the pieces of the damn formula already.**"

He had reached the door when Lani posed a question that stopped him.

"**How many pieces of Orb do I have?**"

Daniel counted only five.

"**I don't even know how many I need. How many do I need?**"

_Six if I recall correctly._

In case he was not correct, Daniel flipped through his journal for the answer he knew he had written down.

"**Da, da, da, no those are notes…I don't need to listen to notes, I need to listen to diaries.**"

Lani quickly read over a few small things Daniel had written.

"**Agrippa, the dying man, wants a tonic to save him. One note speaks of a mixture made with three ingredients. The remaining orb pieces can be found in the Choir. An orb is needed to enter the inner sanctum…ok, so that means I probably haven't finished that, even though I have actually no fucking clue how many pieces I need.**"

Daniel was not sure of his reasoning but he opened the door and lowered himself once more to leave. He had to travel along the other wall now and moved over the fungus to do so.

"**Breathe deep, Daniel.**"

_Fuck you, Lani._

Plants rustled, a rat squeaked, and stones shifted loudly. A pillar sat right against the wall, meaning Daniel had to slightly alter his approach until he had fully gone around it. He peeked out from behind the pillar's base but saw nothing new in the darkness and fog. The sounds persisted as Daniel reached the same open trench, though now he was presumably on the other side.

"**Kay…. This is a real elaborate fucking place. Who would need to build this? I mean honestly, what are the points? Like, what is the point of this room?**"

_Torture._

"**What – who needs a choir? Who needs this place? I mean this feels like it should just be an attachment of the dungeon.**"

_In essence it is, but this place is a harder test to prisoner; they know they have come to a place worse than the dungeon._

"…**you know? It's a torture chamber. And I'll tell ya', choir in high school was boring, but I wouldn't call it torture.**"

It was not worth it to Daniel; he just continued on. Lani sighed after a little bit.

"**So that…little glowing thing over there…**"

There was nothing glowing, but soon the settling of stones was even louder. Lani groaned.

"**I'm guessing there's like one more door – oh that was a bridge piece.**"

The walls shook again.

"**See, this place is just falling the fuck apart.**"

_There was mention of that earlier. Where I woke up had suffered a lot of damage but nothing was there, in retrospect it probably was the safest place to start even if it was so far away from Alexander._

"**Into the miasma, Daniel…**"

A rat squeaked and after so long in dark silence a monster groaned. It sounded closer than before and Daniel moved behind the base of a pillar that was right against a wall so that he had a corner.

"**Cower and hide, Daniel. Cower and hide…**"

The walls shook still as Daniel looked out, not sure whether he should hope to see the beast pass him or not see it at all. His head pounded with fear and expectation of something. He looked back, then to the ground of the corner; he could have sworn he saw it in the fog.

"**Don't look at it.**"

He dared another look, just to be sure. The monster groaned again. Metal dragged across the stone ground and squeaked as it bellowed. Daniel wanted to run but he might very well run towards the creature by mistake. He was certain the squeakes and dragging sound of metal was getting closer and he moved forward, slow enough so that he could flee if he had gone the wrong way. Lani said something but Daniel could have cared less even if he could have understood him. The squeaking grew louder still; Daniel had no idea how terrifying the sound could be before now. A section of stone extended from the wall and a pillar was nearby against the wall to create a three-sided box. Hiding was the only real option now and Daniel occupied the spot the moment he saw it. He positioned himself to see just past the corner of the stone extension. The monster moaned loudly and Daniel saw it pass by. The fog obscured it but it took large steps and looked like it was a green color. Daniel turned to face the stone, unable to handle what he saw or even fully process it. Its head had no proper profile; it looked only like an oval from the side.

"**Don't look at it, Daniel. Perhaps he will ignore us.**"

Daniel could not think or breathe. The beast was so close and all that hid Daniel was fog and hope that it would not look towards him. The creature made a low, frightening sound. It could not be more than a foot or two away and it sounded as if it were right next to Daniel's ears. Daniel shook and stared at the corner of wall, his eyes stuck wide open in fear.

"**Maybe…maybe I'll get us killed for once.**"

The monster growled before the squeaking metal that accompanied its movements started again; it was either leaving or coming closer. It moaned and sounded further away than before, as impossible as it seemed it was leaving. The walls shook more violently as the metal squeaked on.

"**Is it this easy to hide from a monster?**"

_Don't complain._

"**It's like closing your eyes and being like, 'I don't see you!'**"

The monster's sounds ceased, meaning either it had paused or was gone. Daniel waited in his corner.

"**It literally is this easy to hide from a goddamn monster? This is the childhood equivalent of pulling the blanket over your head, only I think it's even dumber because I don't even have a blanket.**"

_Never complain when things are going in our favor, Lani._

Looking out, Daniel saw nothing but the red fog. He moved forward still low to the ground. He was technically free but he felt confined as if in a tunnel. As if he were in the tunnel the bitch had made with her bitch of a mother. He had to find her before Alexander learned that this had happened on his account. Alexander had been good to him and he had allowed a child to escape as if he were useless. Daniel lost himself and angrily whispered.

"Get her back!"

"**What?**"

Realizing what he had just done, Daniel clamped his hand over his mouth and listened. The monster made no sound to signal it was returning, but Daniel made himself move on in search of a safe room.

"**Daniel, I…are all these monsters just blind, or -**"

The monster moaned and Daniel hurried himself into a spot similar to his last hiding place.

"**Assume the position, Daniel.**"

Metal squeaked as Daniel stared at the new corner of stone. The monster gave a low roar and the walls shook with it, as did Daniel.

"**Assume the position!**"

_I'M IN THE BLOODY POSITION!_

"**Stare at the rocks. Who knows, maybe it might see you this time.**"

_LANI!_

Daniel's breathing was already labored but he held his hand over his mouth to muffle the sound. The metal squeaked and the monster growled as if it were leaving again.

"**Or hell, might smell your fear, you never know…. Seriously, you might want to stop peeing.**"

The insinuation was insulting like most of Lani's comments but insults were not worth the brain power Daniel was busy using for fear. Lani sang using DAs until the shaking walls stopped him.

"**Ok, I'm getting kinda tired of this place just, like, archeology just kinda falling down around me now…THAT, and I'm getting tired of staring at this fucking corner. I wanna turn around, but every time Daniel sees a monster, from what I hear…**"

The monster groaned and the walls shook even more.

"**From what I hear, when you look at the monster they know you're there and it's like, '**_**ruua**_**', but when you're not looking at them…it's like, 'eh, ignore him. It's just Daniel.'**"

The sounds had died as Lani continued his rant. Daniel snuck out of his hiding place and resumed searching.

"**Which is kinda my thoughts around this whole thing: it's just fucking Daniel, you know? Daniel can't do shit.**"

_Well I'm terribly sorry, why don't YOU lead us through the pits of hell, keep us alive, solve puzzles, and all this other shit I have to do!_

"**The only thing Daniel's good for is…'painting the lines, cut the flash.'**"

_Paint the man, cut the lines. If you're going to insult me and have a go at my sanity, at least get the words right._

"**Paint the lines, cut the flash, or whatever. Paint the man, cut the lines, that's the line.**"

Amazingly, another door came into view. It was lit like the others and Daniel nearly sang its praises. Lani huffed as they moved to it.

"**Difficulty curve in this game…you know, I think you just have to have a high tolerance for, like, these stupid tense situations if you wanna – AH!**"

Sweet revenge via bright light was served in the hallway past the metal door.

"**Ah! And really fast adjusting retinas.**"

Alexander spoke like a teacher to Daniel's former-self.

"The wheel is good for keeping your victim still during the procedure. They can be bound across the circumference or simply stretched across, tying limbs to the spokes and rim."

Daniel continued down the hall as Alexander spoke.

"All tools are, by this point, useful and you may administer the torture in any way you like. But the forte of the wheel is the gaps."

Another door showed itself and Daniel entered a partially lit area and settled by lit candles as Alexander continued still.

"When you have decided that the victim shall die you can smash their limbs with a hammer, making them fold in between the frame."

"**Charming...**"

Daniel's former-self spoke up, sounding shy and concerned for a moment.

"But they'll die – too quickly I mean."

"**Daniel!**"

"No, don't worry. The human body is much more resilient. They can survive for days until they finally succumb."

Daniel walked in the light of the candles, finding a large mallet in a dried puddle of blood. Squeaks assumed to be connected with the wheel were heard just before the light came again and left.

"**Look at this, Daniel! A sledgehammer…Daniel, sledgehammer!**"

Daniel picked it up, remembering its uses.

"**Weapon! Monster! BASH!**"

The hammer hit the ground repeatedly by Daniel's hand. It was evident that the mallet was only fit for use on humans as opposed to monsters though. The beast was dragging metal, doubtlessly a weapon, and was far faster and stronger than Daniel. Bringing the hammer would only slow his movements and prove to be of no use in battle against one of the creatures so Daniel dropped it back to the ground.

"**Ugh!**"

Near the hammer was a lifted section with stairs leading up to the wheel Alexander had talked about. There was blood on the ground and stairs but not the wheel. Two drains were set in front of the wheel and seemed to do little good. A coil of rope was in the far left corner and was clearly reserved for binding victims. The corner on ground level was glowing though. Daniel hopped down and saw amongst the dark mauve glow was a purple piece of the Orb. It was the last piece of the Orb.

"**Whatever.**"

Daniel took the piece and put it with the others, unsure of what effects this might have.

"**Is that all of them? Oh my God, is that all of them? Can I leave this goddamn place…?**"

Daniel left the wheel room, feeling rather nauseous and losing his mind, and lit a torch in the hallway before checking his satchel. He had orb pieces of red, purple, green, black, aqua, and dark pink. He looked over the notes in his journal and checked off the one about the orb pieces.

"**I got them…I got all of them, ok, I accept this. 'Cause honestly, I'm sick of staring at fucking walls.**"

The metal door creaked open and Daniel returned to his stance near the ground.

"**Back to your duck-crawl, Daniel. Quack. **_**Quack!**_"

The second quack was in a higher pitch. Daniel was just mildly annoyed, but he felt like he should also be insulted by the voice being used with him. His head pounded as all the sounds of the Choir persisted as they did; he could hear his blood pumping. Lani hummed briefly as Daniel went along the walls.

"**Where was that bridge? That it right there? That's it. See, Daniel, right across there is freedom. Wanna make a run for it?**"

_More than I should._

Freedom seemed a beautiful and impossible word to Daniel right now, and getting to it faster was all that mattered now.

"**Let's make a run for it.**"

Daniel stood at his full height and ran. He ran over the bridge and across the way to the door.

"**Monster not even chasing me; WHAT A BITCH!**"

Daniel had reached the door and made his way to freedom and safety. His hopes soared and he felt that things would be much better now.

"**Seriously…I mean, come on.**"

Running was now Daniel's friend whether his legs like that or not. He ran up the stairs and down the hall which now had no corpses hanging in it.

"**What a ridiculous circumstance.**"

Daniel did not notice the missing bodies, but he made sure to calm himself before entering the Nave again. The door shut behind him and Daniel entered the dark hall, walking calmly until the castle shook and screamed like it always did right before the red flesh took over everything. Lani mocked the roar of the castle as Daniel hurried towards Agrippa.

"**Hey, Agrippa, got all the shit.**"

"_I see you have all the orb pieces you need. I know I have no right to ask anything of you. But if you could find it in your heart to gather the ingredients for Weyer's tonic before attempting to mend the orb, there might be a chance for you to save me._"

_I have the ingredients now, and I will help you, Agrippa._

"**Save you…?**"

"_Please, my fate is in your hands._"

"**I…I got all the pieces, do I just shove 'em down your throat? Blood, poison…spit…**"

The ingredients had to be treated properly, and Daniel only had the upper levels left to search.

"**You know what, there's a laboratory back here, I think.**"

_Yes, it was boarded shut though._

Daniel noticed his slip but Agrippa said nothing. He hurried as if nothing had happened, hoping that being this high up really was out of Agrippa's range. As Daniel ran fog came at him in interludes until he reached the laboratory door and saw it was still boarded up like before.

"**But it's boarded up and Daniel is weak as shit and can't pry a two-by-four off the wall…**"

_It's nailed to the bloody – nevermind!_

Lani sighed as Daniel returned to Agrippa to let him know.

"**You know, Agrippa…**"

"_I see you have all the orb pieces you need._"

"**Yes! God, you know what, fuck you. Fuck you!**"

"_I know I have no right to ask anything of you._"

Agrippa had to be growing weaker; he probably could not remember saying any of this before. Daniel hurried down towards what was the only door left on this level; he had to hurry for Agrippa's sake.

"**Fuck you! I'm going wherever the fuck this is taking me. 'Cause I assume since I haven't been over here, that this is where I need to go.**"

Daniel reached a lit door and went through it.

"**The chancel, yeah, that. I'm going there.**"

The door led to more stairs up a lit section. After the first corner Daniel gasped as the building rumbled around him. Slowly he continued up to the door that was in his sights.

"**Kay?**"

What had he done? So many people had died by his hands, or at least his orders to Alexander's servants. The little girl who ran; he had the servants go after her as well.

"Is she dead?"

Wind echoed through the stairwell.

"**Monster?**"

Daniel's head was pounding again as he pushed the thoughts aside. He reached for the door but Lani's words had made him hesitate. There was a slim gap between the door and wall and Daniel could see a green light beyond the door. He waited for signs of anything else but none came.

"**Blue room…**"

_Green room._

"**I don't see anything…**"

Daniel eased the door open, still seeing nothing. He edged out, seeing blue flames burning on torches and stone ground covered in green light. Inching forward and keeping an eye trained to the right, the only pathway, Daniel tensed and froze and the sound and sight of a monster. He backed away quickly, stumbling over his feet and saw a second one appear. Daniel panicked, he thought he saw a third one but he was not sure. They all looked the same and were the same as the monster from earlier with the large flap of skin with no jaw.

"**Oh, well this is awkward, uh – CAN WE TALK THROUGH THIS?**"

The beast slashed its long iron claws across Daniel's chest twice. The pain rivaled even that of when he jumped to the second bridge earlier.

"**OH GOD!**"

It was dark. Daniel had fallen and knew he was fading out of cautiousness and into death. He was sorry to have failed both himself and Agrippa. The last thing he saw before fading out was the sight of the beasts standing above him and the last thing he heard was Lani's shouts.

"**AHHH, Daniel, no! S - …**_**Sleeeeeeep!**_** …awkward.**"

There were booming sounds and the idle sounds of a monster. Daniel was alive. He was horribly injured again, but he was alive. Daniel was not aware of what was happening around him but he could hear the sounds of a prison minus the screams of the damned. He felt himself being taken somewhere, and by the feel of it he was being taken there by the beasts. The monster roared after it had released Daniel and his vision began to return; it was still dark. His head pounded as he drifted in and out of cautiousness, seeing the monster beyond iron bars. Daniel lowered his head weakly and shut his eyes. When he reopened them again the monster was leaving. He shut his eyes again, woozy from blood loss. Blood had spread and stuck itself to his vest, gluing it to his skin. The wound was still bleeding but not as heavily. Being alive after all that had happened was nothing short of a miracle. Daniel breathed slowly as Alexander spoke in his mind.

"You had me worried. Quite frankly, I'm not sure what to do with you."

"**Uh…**"

"I hold no grudge against you, Daniel. We are so very much the same, you and I."

Daniel weakly went towards the metal bars and looked out at the abandoned prison he was now in. Torches burnt outside and Lani and Alexander were the only others present.

"**Well…I wouldn't go that far.**"

"Did you really drink from the Amnesia mixture?"

Alexander sounded both bewildered and amused. Daniel searched his cell desperate for a way out.

"**Maybe.**"

"It does explain so much of your behavior. You never did finish what you set out to do."

"**Uh…**"

"You talked about redemption. How you would face the Orb's shadow and save our work – and me? I will grant you another chance to redeem yourself. You can wait here and stop the shadow. Thank you – friend."

Alexander's words burned Daniel both with their presence and their meaning. They were not friends, Daniel would not save Alexander, and he would not wait for the shadow to come for him.

"**You're welcome?**"

Escaping the cell was going to prove a challenge though.

"**Well, Daniel…don't drop the soap, I guess.**"

_Ugh, what does that even mean…?_

"**Welcome to prison again.**"

A/N: MORNING. Ok I don't know what time it is you're reading this but it's now around 6:50 am for me. Power went out, took a nap, woke up around 1 am with power restored, and then wrote amnesia fan fiction. Time well spent. I found out watching horror and psychological movies help motivate me so A Clockwork Orange being available on Netflix instant watch is perfect. I just realized I'm rambling about pointless stuff so onto notes about the actual fan fiction. The next chapter is the finale where I will feature all of the final game play, there will be one chapter after that where I will have the bonus ending Lani had to his Let's Play series as well as an explanation of how the hell that was possible (that part is purely my imagination for a bit). I will then write Lani's Let's Play of Amnesia: Justine as a separate fan fiction and review Mangaminx's Let's Play of Amnesia before commiting to making a fan fiction for it. I probably will, but I want to see if there's enough of a difference at long parts so I'm not basically writing the same thing and I also need to make sure there's nothing I simply can't justify in there. Random note of this chapter for any hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy fans, in Word on page 42 is where Daniel sees the monster and also where he explains why the hell he knocked himself out 500+ door puzzles away from his target.


	12. Finale: It all comes down to this

"**Well, Daniel…what sort of shit do we get – oo! They left me a lantern oil.**"

Remaining awake was an extreme effort in itself but Daniel managed to collect the jar.

"**Eh, prison ain't that bad. They give you lantern oil, they give you a bucket…**"

There was nothing in or under the bucket. It was useless and Daniel dropped it where he stood before continuing his search. There was an end table and Daniel got atop it for a better view, soon wishing he had not when the feeling of what he had done caught up with his body.

"**They give you a table…they give you creepy ambient sounds…and, um…yeah – oo! What's this?**"

One of the metal bars was broken and a small piece at the top was loose. Daniel began twisting and pulling at it as Lani made obnoxious sound effects. The bar broke free and fell to the ground.

"**Ah! Free metal bar.**"

Daniel collected the iron bar and tucked it away for when he found out how to use it.

"**Coolie, coolie, uh…**"

Across the cell a few bricks of the wall seemed loose; it seemed a good place to start.

"**Hello…God, I'm just finding shit all over the place. Ok, um…**"

Some of the bricks were loose, but Daniel could not remove them by hand.

"**I can't remove it by hand, huh?**"

Daniel opened his bag to find the metal bar, only just noticing that the weight of his bag and its bulk showed that he still had all of his things.

_I'm more out of it than I thought…._

"**ARE YOU SHITTING ME? They left me with all of my stuff?**"

Daniel took the metal bar he had found and rammed it into the wall. The bar stuck but now he had to pull.

"**These guards are the worst guards ever.**"

Daniel pulled at the bar, his wound still bleeding as the metal bent under pressure.

"**Come on.**"

The bricks flew free to the ground along with the metal bar. The bar had straightened and Daniel collected it again for later. The wall was only missing a few bricks now but it was a good start.

"**Ahh yeah, keeping you with me. You're pretty useful, and let's break the rest of this thing apart…how? Um…**"

Daniel could not see much of what lied beyond the bricks and it was obvious no normal human could fit through the hole he had made. He took hold of a wooden support beam that stood amongst the bricks and worked to dislodge it.

"**Hey, hey, there we go, um…found one to click on…. Oh, it's that thing. Ok, um…**"

The beam moved only slightly for some time but with a forceful push Daniel moved it as well as a large chunk of wall over and into the next cell.

"**Oh! That was a load-bearing beam.**"

Daniel stepped into the adjacent cell as the dust cleared from the air. Moving from one prison cell to another was not much of a victory but it still was one.

"**Kay. Welp, made it through that.**"

The first thing Daniel went to check was the door. As he neared it the castle and Daniel's vision suffered a blow. The castle shook and Daniel's vision warped with it.

"**Agh! Ok.**"

Daniel stumbled back in shock and unrelenting pain but soon returned to the door. To his amazement the cell door was unlocked and he was free to go. Now Daniel resided in the main area of the prison rather than its cells; a slightly less hollow victory.

"**Yes, Daniel, I know, you have anxiety.**"

In the center of the room was what looked like a well made of stone; just like everything else. The top was boarded over but a rope attached to a more traditional crank than the one of the earlier well was lowered down, possibly attached to a useful bucket. Daniel turned the crank to test his luck.

"**Ok that's…let's see what we got here…um…nothing, gotcha. Uh…**"

There was indeed nothing given to Daniel for his effort other than wasted time and Lani's singing using the syllable 'Da'. Across the room was a wide track of pipe that had been partially ripped . Daniel thought he saw something inside, but he was not sure.

"**Maybe I can use the pipe on you too.**"

It seemed a fair idea. Daniel took the iron bar from his satchel and forced it inside the tear.

"…**why not!**"

Lani made a sound of false effort as Daniel pushed the bar in an attempt to dislodge whatever was in the pipe. There was a metallic clank. It sounded like a key, and though Daniel was sure other things must have made that sound a key was the first thing to enter his mind.

"**Wicked.**"

Before collecting anything Daniel tried to free his iron bar. Sadly it was stuck in its position and would no longer be a tool for him.

"**I don't need you anymore.**"

Under the pipe's opening was now a steel grey stain that hid the key, or whatever it was, from Daniel.

"…**god. I'll take you now.**"

Daniel dropped down and soon had to hold his chest. Blood was clotting to try and close his wounds but it simply was not working fast enough. It was hard to move and breathing burned for reasons Daniel could not understand.

_I must escape…if I don't press on I'll die from the monsters or the shadow…but if I do I may very well kill myself because of these damn wounds._

"**Soon as I…**"

Daniel crouched forward, his legs absorbing the pain his chest stung with. The key was rusty and Daniel had no idea why it was even there or what it opened. A key was a key though and Daniel knew it would prove useful.

"…**get my bearings – ah! Thank you.**"

Daniel crawled for a bit but the position was cruel to his legs, his chest, and even his hand despite the burn being reduced t nothing in comparison. He made himself stand back up, and so long as he kept pressure on his chest wound his legs would be the only thing he harmed further.

"**Picked up a rusty key, that's pretty nice to know. What have I got in here?**"

It was becoming apparent that Daniel's cell had been the only one locked as he went to investigate another cell without so much as an open padlock.

"**While we're exploring things…**"

Lani hummed as Daniel went inside to see the usual mess of straw and two wooden bed frames. There was a wooden bucket that most likely belonged at the well and Daniel picked it up.

"**I has a bucket.**"

_I has a bucket?_

Daniel knew he would not get it and continued searching.

"**And…tinder…and more tin- oh wait, no, that's laudanum.**"

_Thank God._

Daniel was more economic with laudanum than he was with tinder and oil so he tucked it away for when the pain became too much. While the absence of pain it provided was marvelous Daniel was aware that it also drained part of his mind; a part he would need to escape here.

"'**Cause Lord knows, that's been oh so useful so far.**"

Daniel made his way out and into an open cell.

"**Ah, what've we got?**"

The second Lani finished his question and Daniel had entered the cell there was a sudden and quick flash of white before darkness.

"**OW! Son of a bitch!**"

There was nothing to be seen, but there was plenty to hear. Prisoners were moaning and crying as the sound of clanking metal, presumably the cell doors opening and closing, sounded in the background. There was a sound of someone being stabbed, or something that would cause a similar sound flesh being severed.

"**Oh!**"

Slowly, Daniel's vision was restored. The first thing he could see was the corpse of a naked man strewn across a bed's wooden frame.

"**Oh! Oh great! Ok, yeah…you shine that bright light in my face, then you give me dead guy wang. Thanks a lot, game! Thanks a million!**"

There was nothing of importance and Daniel had to leave that cell immediately. He went to another cell that held even less than the others.

"**Ugh…**"

The cell did hold a note in the center though.

"**The world hates you, Daniel. So do I.**"

_You hate me and I hate you. We've been through this, Lani. You can stop being an arse about it now._

"**Hey, paper…**"

Daniel read the paper and Lani went in and out of reading it aloud.

Last Prisoner Note

There is little left to say. I write solely to prevent myself from revisiting the memories of these last few days. If I am fortunate, I will fall asleep and time will pass without effort. I have begun to wean myself of my prison.

When I first arrived I felt like I was being buried inside a tomb, but now I feel the close walls comforting me. As long as I am in here there is no pain, the walls protect me from the outside. I even laughed earlier as one of my wardens dropped a key down the pipes. It gave me hope for a second, thinking I could escape if only I could somehow reach it from here.

In my dreams, Alexander, I am king. In my dreams I best you and escape your clutches, and return with all the knights of the realm carrying pistols and sabers. In my dreams...

"**Yes, well, dream the impossible dream and all that.**"

Lani sang his DOs as Daniel left the cell for a final search.

"**Uh…yeah, that looks like it's…everything.**"

Daniel pulled at the main door, hoping the monsters were far gone now. The door was locked, and Daniel hoped that the rusted key was for this door. He dug out the key as Lani used a voice similar to the mentally challenged one he had reserved for Daniel. This was more monotonic though.

"**Gee, I wonder what goes in here. Is it a bucket?**"

The key worked.

"**No, it's a key. Ok, let's get moving.**"

Freedom was sweet and Daniel ran down the long grey hall of stone. He was doing to well though so the castle decided to through a fit by shaking yet again as he approached a wooden door.

"**Oh God damnit!**"

_My sentiments exactly!_

The violent shaking was not letting up and it hindered Daniel further as he made his way past the first door with more effort than should have been necessary. Daniel ran and ran down the now fog filled hall as he came to the second door. This door was blocked by a wooden beam and boulders.

"**Oh, who did this?**"

Time was running out, Daniel was sure of it. He knocked over the beam and worked at clearing the path for his escape.

"**World hates you, Daniel…the world and me…all hate you.**"

Finally Daniel could go as the sounds of the castle grew louder and was now pounding against Daniel's ears and entire body. The opened part way before a particularly nasty shake knocked Daniel back and away from it. He managed to keep his balance though and soon was on his way.

"**Open the door, Daniel.**"

_Easier said than done at the moment, Lani!_

The odds of something being behind Daniel were high and he knew it. To slow it down Daniel closed the door behind him, getting a quick glimpse at a glowing red aura.

"**Woah, what the fuck was that?**"

_The Shadow!_

Daniel felt like screaming, weeping, and grabbing his wounds but there was definitely no time. He ran faster and faster, the threat of death was very real now.

"**Ok, um…**"

The hall was still dark and the light was his friend. Daniel took out his lantern and heard the beast strike loudly. It continued on and on as Daniel came to a split path. He had no time to think and just went let, finding a dead end of boulders.

_No, damnit!_

"**Oh, son of a bitch.**"

Daniel turned and ran the other way, praying that he had not wasted too much time. The pounding sound stopped as Daniel ran. The Shadow had broken the door down and was chasing him without obstacle now. Daniel's ears rang and his wounds bled profusely in response to the power of the Shadow. Everything seemed harder and more pointless now. All that kept Daniel going was fear for his life.

"**God damnit!**"

Daniel put his lantern away, remembering how it draws the beasts closer. A Shadow can't attack if there's no light to cast a shadow in, right? Right or wrong Daniel's mind flew further away and his hopes plummeted as he entered water.

"**Water? Really? Am I gonna be chased by water monsters too now? Christ's sakes…**"

The Shadow gave immense stomps of force the make Daniel lift in the water even more so than the plain shaking did. This was like running in a nightmare. No matter how hard Daniel tried he was hindered by his wounds, the water, his fatigue, and the shaking of his environment. He could only move so much so fast while the Shadow was unstoppable. The Shadow seemed invincible despite having not caught Daniel yet. Daniel knew what it could do and he feared it like to other. Finally there were stairs back to dry ground. The weight of the water soaked into Daniel's clothes slowed him even more but Daniel ran on. Convinced that his light theory was wrong Daniel gave up on it and relit his lantern. If he were to die he would die with a friend.

"**Who threw all that shit on the door? Pain in my ass…**"

The lantern went on and off, presumably the Shadow's work. Daniel tried relighting it twice but did away with the efforts as they only took focus away and torches were burning now.

"…**and what the hell is chasing me? It looked like it was glowing.**"

Sweet relief was in sight. There was a large door of wood and metal, the kind that monsters never chased Daniel through. He was not sure if the Shadow followed that logic, he was fairly sure it did not, but hope had finally appeared and he clung to it as he went through the door to the Nave.

"**To the Nave! …barricading the door…. The world really has it in for you, almost more than I do, Daniel.**"

_Don't care, you can't affect me and I've just escaped the Shadow!_

"**Christ's sake…ok, what's going on in this part of town?**"

The area was dark but it was also calm. Water gurgled once from somewhere but that was of no matter now. To the left Daniel saw a table with a tinderbox and another piece of paper.

"**Uh…hey, a letter. Who wrote that? And tinder, thank you.**"

The tinderbox was collected first as usual and Daniel took the paper in hand before a flash forced him down.

"**Ow!**"

Daniel's legs shook as he held to the table for support. His body was failing him and Lani was making more obnoxious sounds. He thought he could stand but a moment later he was on the ground watching his vision fade to black.

"**Don't celebrate Cinco de Mayo too early, Daniel.**"

It was dark, pure black. Daniel felt healthier, as if he had been fully healed. His first thought was that he was dead, but that idea frightened him more when Lani spoke quickly and oddly, meaning they may be together for all eternity.

"**Alexander became silent. He didn't know what to say. He could no longer recognize his friend sitting across the carriage.**"

Daniel heard his voice. His past self was narrating like before, echoing in his ears.

"18th of August 1839- Tonight we will unlock the power of the Orb-"

"**Yay!**"

"-and ultimately banish the Shadow hunting me."

"**Boo.**"

_Fuck off, Lani._

"I feel it closing in on me and I fear for my life more than ever."

"**Yay!**"

The feeling, and Lani's comment, was all too familiar. Sight began to greet Daniel, though fog was heavy. He was standing outside. It was night and his vision was stained green. Trees were behind him and buildings were in front of him in the near distance.

"Just outside Altstadt lies a small settlement where Zimmermann, a dairy farmer, lives with his wife and three children."

Daniel was walking forward but he heard the sounds of a carriage, there was even the whinny of a horse.

"**Uh-huh…am I playing a horse? NYEHEHEHE!**"

_I would rather you play no part or at least stick to your part as the annoying voice in my head which clearly cannot be my conscience because if so I truly am a monster._

The building showed themselves to be houses, though the fog was still covering them.

"We took the coach and went there. Our visit was unexpected and Alexander was able to-"

"**What?**"

"-strike Herr Zimmermann down without alerting the others."

The screams of children sounded in the background; shrieks of terror and the _shink_ sound of something like a knife.

"**Uh…**"

Daniel moved closer to the houses. He felt he should be there.

"As he went to take care of the farm hands, I began to look for the children."

"**Oh God, Pedo-Daniel! Control your urges, man!**"

Daniel had a sense of what Lani was suggesting, and while offended he was too busy being consumed in the settlement. He was standing amongst the houses, just looking out as the sounds of the children shrieking and struggling continued.

"We should have more than enough prisoners to finish the ritual now."

"**Yes.**"

The town faded away into darkness and Lani stuttered before he could make a sentence.

"**For Christ- Daniel, am I just supposed to despise everything you stand for? I mean, it's not hard to despise someone who stands for **_**killing children**_**!**"

_I do not stand for it, Alexander stands for murder and I for justice. If I truly did anything Alexander had to of tricked me._

"**I hope killing…**"

_I am not a pedophile!_

"**God only knows – you know, I don't even…ugh…**"

The pain of Daniel's body flooded back with the taste of Damascus Rose. Petals fell from above as he managed his way up with his wounds just barely healing.

"**Hey, more rose petals. Christ's sakes, Daniel…how are you feeling?**"

_Relieved to be alive despite this unholy agony._

"**Slight headache? Oh poor baby!**"

Daniel went to the door out, holding to his wound as Lani continued to be an arse.

"**Fucking jackass…you know, I-**"

A water monster clearly growled idly from the boarded well behind Daniel. He knew where he was now.

"**Oh wait, I know where this is.**"

_We're near Agrippa._

Daniel left out the door, down the short hall lit by a single torch.

"**Yeah, I think I know exactly where- aughugh!**"

The castle shook once and Daniel's mind stretched as the red flesh grew around him.

"**Oh, oh no, more of this crap. Great.**"

Daniel passed through the second door and entered the main area where he first climbed up to from the sewers.

"**Wait, nope, now I know exactly where this is. That was the door that was blocked off before, wasn't it?**"

_Indeed it was, Lani._

Daniel closed the door behind him. Lani sang as Daniel noticed a tinderbox left behind on the border ring of the well.

"**Long, long time ago…in a castle not so far away…**"

With another tinderbox Daniel opened the first door, seeing beyond the darkness that it had become useless.

"**Nope, now that room's blocked off. Um…**"

Rubble was spilling out from one room, keeping the path from being a free circle. When Daniel reached it he tried to hop on and over it rather than just walk around. This proved a stupid idea as he dismounted back in horrible pain.

"**Not happening, ok, I see, um…climb around this way? Ok.**"

Daniel went the opposite direction and crawled his way past the strings of flesh to pull the door open. He opened it too hard though and hit his forehead, making him move back holding his head.

"**Ow!**"

_Another injury for the list…_

"**Damn doors…**"

Just past that damn door Daniel saw a large, pulsing chunk of flesh of the ground.

"**Yeah that's that puss crap…no thanks.**"

Daniel turned back for the main area.

"**I mean, I know what…ok, so there's literally…God, maybe I-**"

Daniel stepped where he should not have and acidic puss sprayed over him.

"**AH!**"

_And another or the God damn list!_

"**Ow, piece of shit!**"

All of Daniel's wounds were bleeding as he stumbled into one of the hallways.

"**Wound is bleeding quite badly – hey, we found use for this laudanum, Daniel.**"

There was no more putting it off. Daniel was in unimaginable pain so he downed the first vial of laudanum. Now he had seven.

"**Yep, let's drug your ass up.**"

Daniel lit his lantern. He felt happier, much happier, and healthier too. The hall he had stumbled into was blocked off but a tinderbox was waiting for him on he ground.

_Oh Mr. Tinderbox, you always wait for me!_

Daniel wobbled about but he finally managed the motor skills to grab it. The strings of flesh stretched over where a large mound of boulders has collapsed and Daniel was giddily interested as he leaned over to see.

"**Uh…well I guess that is the way I go. That is the only way-**"

During Daniel's happy stroll to the proper door an acidic puss bag exploded and hit him again.

"**Ow! Son of a bitch!**"

_That hurt, Lani! Make it better!_

"**Still a few cuts and bruises…**"

Not much damage was done, but standing in the hall Daniel drank the second vial.

"**There you go, full health, Daniel.**"

_Yay~!_

"**You're gonna need it for this.**"

Daniel lit his lantern and looked at the spread of puss-filled flesh on the ground.

_I don't know, Lani. It looks friendly._

"'**Cause I'm gonna step all over this shit.**"

_Nah, we'll be fine._

Daniel had just stepped onto the flesh when the first bubble popped.

"**Ow!**"

That was the only one that popped though, meaning a tilted beam was the only obstacle left before the door.

"**Just gonna go under it…**"

_Told you so!_

The stone spiral staircase was in a similar state, covered with the strings of red flesh.

"**Anymore of that shit on the ground? Yeah it's all over the place now.**"

The castle shook more tamely, which entertained Daniel rather than frightened him.

_Wee~!_

I soon ceased.

_Aw…._

Lani sighed as he and Daniel descended down the stairs. Soon he took to mumbling a small ditty Daniel wished he knew so he could sing along.

_We should sing together, Lani. It would sound amazing!_

They reached the bottom and Daniel saw an unlit torch and stared.

…_nah._

"**Wow, it's not even a torch anymore.**"

There was more flesh on the ground which blocked the door but Daniel played with his balance on it. It popped.

_LANI, MAKE IT QUIT!_

"**Yeah, yeah! Saw it coming that time.**"

A barrel also blocked the door and Daniel lifted it to take it along as a friend. Then he decided the barrel was a jerk for no reason and threw it away to investigate the laboratory now that the door had been forced open.

_Oo, neat!_

"**Oh, hey, laboratory's open.**"

The laboratory was well lit and littered with clutter of tables shelves, various machines, paper, and so forth.

"**And it's well lit.**"

Daniel collected a tinderbox from a bookshelf.

"**Ah, more tinder!**"

_I want to play with the machines!_

To the far right was a burner with a wheel control Daniel turned slightly to hear it squeak.

_Bored now!_

In the center was an odd contraption that consisted of a metal box with a lever and a long, wide tube that would dispense something if Daniel used it correctly.

"**Ok, what do I do with all you stuffs?**"

_Pull levers and turn cranks until it works!_

"**Um…**"

Daniel opened the door on the box part of the machine. Nothing was inside it.

"**Something goes in there…**"

Bored again Daniel looked at the final contraption to the left. It was a stand with a crank atop it to crush whatever he needed.

"**Something goes there…uh…I gotta, I – wait, do I still have that jar?**"

Daniel looked in his satchel. He saw three oil jars, a bucket that took a lot of space, and a jar of blood that had somehow not spilled its contents over everything.

_I pack things well._

"**Nn…I have a jar of blood. Let's see what I do with that. Uh…I can put it there, I can put it there, I can put it over there…**"

Daniel placed the jar on the burner. Fire sounded fun.

"**Let's cook the, uh, no let's not cook the monster blood.**"

_Wait, I thought it was human blood…. We killed a monster? Awesome! I want to cook it!_

"**Can I pick it up? Nope, guess I gotta cook the monster blood.**"

Daniel turned the stubborn wheel and saw the small flame come to life for him and evaporate the red right out of the blood.

"**Now it's boiling monster blood!**"

_Now it's white blood!_

Daniel took his jar of white magic.

"**And now it's…white? It's not monster blood anymore, that's for damn sure. Uh…**"

The crushing crank was Daniel next stop.

"**Oh! Yeah, let's squeeze…you.**"

Daniel took the poison gland from the mushroom and placed it between the plates. This was most likely a horrible idea give what could come out of it but Daniel was far too drunk, high, and loopy to care.

"**Let's do that and I gotta put you down here to collect the shit obviously, I think.**"

The jar of white blood was placed just beneath the machine to collect whatever went downwards.

"**Um…**"

Daniel began turning the crank.

"**This vice grip isn't moving, at all.**"

No matter what Lani saw or did not see it had apparently worked and crushed the plant bulb. Daniel took his jar back, seeing no difference.

"**Haha, let's drink that.**"

_No, this is for Agrippa!_

"**M'kay, and the bone with the spit on it goes over there I guess…and that.**"

The bone went into the square compartment and the jar under the pipe to collect whatever came out.

"**Ok, close you, and pull this…lever of indeterminate use.**"

Daniel did just that. Once the lever hit its lowest position Daniel hurried to watch the jar. He saw a green ooze come from the pipe and begin filling the jar.

_Awesome…._

"**Oh God!**"

The little door flung itself open when the machine finished turning the contents of the jar green; inside was nothing but a puff of fog.

"**It just liquefied the damn bone!**"

_Awesome!_

"**And for some reason it was **_**green**_**?**"

_Yep, yep, yep!_

"…**what the fuck does that lever do?**"

_I dunno._

"**Like – I…there is nothing in this box, it is just a damn box, I don't even see a vent hole! But somehow that magic lever…liquefied the bone, turned it green…**"

Daniel shut the little door and took the now finished tonic.

_Agrippa will be so proud of me!_

Lani did his Austrian impression again.

"**Weyer's tonic!**"

_You're funny, Lani!_

Above Daniel was a small hole in the ceiling through which he could see an almost identical hole in the ceiling above that.

"**Ok, what's up there? I see daylight, again! How far underground am I? Seriously!**"

_I dunno…._

Daniel happily made his way to go see Agrippa.

"**Like, if it's not at all…then, why did I take that God damn elevator?**"

The castle did not like Lani's questions and it shook like before.

"**And fall to my doom…yeah, yeah, shut up. I don't care.**"

Daniel was back in Agrippa's area.

"_Daniel! I thought I'd lost you._"

"**Oh….**"

"_The castle trembled and I could hear the Chancel collapse…. The laboratory might be accessible now._"

"**Yeah, it was, guess why? Because everything broke down…**"

The red flesh had grown all around Agrippa and Daniel no longer felt cheery enough to sing the good news about the tonic.

"**Well you're still looking well.**"

To the left part of the wall had collapsed and Daniel felt the urge to explore.

"**Fucker. Hey what's over here? I'm gonna explore this before I help your stupid ass.**"

Lani more or less sang as Daniel collected a tinderbox and moved onwards.

"**Let's crawl through here.**"

The tunnel to the other side was a bit narrow and probably unstable, but Daniel enjoyed crawling through it to the other room. This room had the usual clutter and little else it seemed.

"**Um…bottles.**"

On one of the bookshelves Daniel saw something he would have usually ignored but now he felt compelled to have it. He found a bone saw.

"**Oh, who's ready? BONE SAW'S READY!**"

Lani's voice sounded strange and scratchy, but that did not concern Daniel's insane mind. There was only one door in the room but when Daniel tried to open it it would not budge.

"**Ah, what's over here? Won't budge, gotcha. Ok, um…whatever. Got a bone saw out of it. Come on, crawl through, Daniel.**"

For some reason crawling out was a bigger hassle than crawling in.

"**You know, if you can't fit, go on a God damn diet you fatass.**"

_Like you're so wonderful…. Agrippa, I finished the tonic for you and I found a bone saw back here! That was something we needed, right?_

"_You did it. Thank goodness!_"

"**What?**"

"_Now, pay attention. First feed me the _tonic-"

"**Kay.**"

"-and_ then use the saw to remove my head._"

While not sober, Daniel was becoming more awar of what was happening. Lani sounded horribly amused and excited.

"**What?**"

_But you'll die!_

"_As the tonic begins to work you will be able to cut off my head without taking my life._"

Lani laughed shortly in a hysterical tone.

"**Yes! Yes, I will.**"

"_Then take my head and bring it with you as you enter the gate Alexander is opening in the Inner Sanctum._"

"**Yeaha-huh.**"

_Agrippa I don't think I can enter that gate._

"_What do you mean? Why wouldn't you enter the gate?_"

"**I didn't say anything!**"

_I - I just can't!_

"_We can't argue now- you need to act._"

"**I – I didn't say shit, ok, um...here.**"

Daniel stepped closer and took the tonic from his bag. He got close enough to Agrippa to help him drink, but he had to keep his eyes closed in order to stay stable. As much as Daniel liked Agrippa it was still very hard to look at him in this state.

"**Drink this…I don't know how you…I guess I…**"

The contents of the jar emptied and Daniel returned to where he usually stood.

"_Quickly! Off with the head!_"

"**Did I just pour that down your esophagus?**"

"_And Daniel, whatever happens – get me through that gate._"

"**Kay. Yeah, you know, I'm not sure I'm ready for this…**"

Daniel took out the bone saw and moved into position.

_I'm sure I'm not ready for this…._

"…**but I think BONE SAW'S READY!**"

Lani laughed like a maniac as Daniel shut his eyes and sawed at Agrippa's neck. This was easily the worst way he had sobered up thus far.

"**Aww, I don't even get to enjoy – I thought I was gonna – aw….**"

Daniel felt himself reach the end and dared to open his eyes. Agrippa's body hung unmoved and the neck was not even bleeding despite being unaccompanied. Agrippa's head laid on the ground.

_I am very sorry, Agrippa!_

"**Not nearly as…not nearly as fun when I'm ju- you know, when – not nearly as fun as if I were to be the one who did it.**"

Agrippa said nothing as Daniel took him; it was likely that they're connection had been severed. While not the most dignified place to stay, Daniel's satchel was the most practical place for Agrippa.

"**Welp…and thus ends the story of Agrippa.**"

_He's not dead!_

Not that Daniel would ever admit no matter what he thought.

"**So, Alexander's Inner Sanctum is back this way, yeah?**"

There were no other options, so the Inner Sanctum had to be back the way where Daniel received his chest wound. Daniel's wound seared with pain as he lit the lantern. Basking in light was a sea of the red flesh, all over the floor and walls.

"**Dahdahad – dodging that shit…'cause that shit hurts.**"

Daniel stayed to the far right of the monstrosity, the farthest from the puss bubbles, and made his way to the barred door.

"**Sucker.**"

He was back in the extension of the prison and even more of the flesh grew. Daniel ran for the Chancel door.

"**Yes, I know, you should be used to that feeling by now, Daniel. Christ…**"

Lani read what Daniel knew as truth.

"**If it wasn't for Alexander, he would still be innocent and be able to die so.**"

The walls of the stairwell were partially covered in flesh as well.

"**Now let's see, are there fifty or sixty of them still up here?**"

None of the puss bubbles popped but being close to the door that had caused an actual monster attack was worse. Daniel let the door creak open and heard a monster call from the distance. He shut the door and backed away. Coming closer, Daniel listened or a hint regarding the beast.

"**Let's see, if it bangs on the door…then it's my enemy, and I run the other way before it breaks through the door…luckily it plays its drums for me.**"

There was no sound for a while and Daniel finally tried again.

"**And it appears to have gone the other way.**"

Daniel moved low to the ground, inching to see if anything was there. He saw a long path lit by blue flames, but no monsters.

"**How's your sanity doing, Daniel?**"

His sanity was well all things considered. Daniel went to his satchel for more oil.

"**HAha…ah…severed head.**"

_Pardon me, Agrippa…._

Daniel filled his lantern with two of his three oil jars and moved onwards down the long bridge.

"**Slight headache…kay.**"

The red flesh proved annoying once more and even filled the path's width at one point. He had to stop and think, as well as succumb to his pain for now. Laudanum only helped him for so long.

"**No idea where that monster's supposed to be. Um…why am I crouching?**"

_Because every part of me hurts…._

Daniel attempted to cross the red flesh but of course it exploded.

"**DAH! Son of a bitch! Am I supposed to jump over this shit or what?**"

Jumping sounded unfavorable because if Daniel landed too soon the puss bubbles would pop much more violently. They were already acting violent though so it was not much of a risk anymore. The path came to a center circle with three more paths attached. The ground was covered in the flesh and the ceiling had the same monstrosity pulsing low.

"**Ugh, there that shit is again. Um…stick to the wall, Daniel.**"

Daniel tried to but the flesh burst anyway.

"**D'OW – son of a bitch!**"

Daniel was hardly bleeding now but he drank another vial of laudanum regardless, wanting that world of freedom back.

"**See, it's only now that this laudanum's becoming-**"

It burst again.

"**DAHJTF – whore! …any useful at all.**"

_The Shadow is mean, Lani._

Daniel jogged down the left path he was now on, ducking low when he reached a doorway.

"**We'll explore this corner carefully.**"

Inside Daniel could see another open doorway and darkness. Past the second door Daniel saw a bookcase, a desk, and more darkness.

"**Anything there? Hello?**"

_Hello, Lani!_

Daniel was now standing and is lantern was lit as he edged in. Another doorway was in this room as well but Daniel saw no danger beyond it. Daniel approached the desk with its lit candle and read the piece of paper that awaited him.

"**What've we got?**"

18th of August 1839

I cannot believe what I have become.

"**A vampire!**"

One of the girls-

"**Haha, he was one of the girls!**"

-escaped and I chased after her all the way upstairs. I hunted her down and...

What is a life worth? How many lives can I take before I surrender my own?

"**You tell me, Daniel.**"

Sure, I would kill a murderer to save an innocent. But to kill an innocent to save myself – a cold blooded murderer!

The diary would have chilled Daniel. He had been justifying himself for so long but he still knew that what he had done was wrong. His past self knew this and his current self now did. The guilt was an unbearable burden. Laudanum made that burden plenty bearable.

"_**Murderer**_**!**"

Daniel stared into the flame of the candle. The light was his sole friend here now that Agrippa was most likely dead.

"**One second while I pause to turn off Steam…and back.**"

Lani had only been gone a few seconds, all Daniel had done this time was turn around. He had no bandages to wrap his chest but that had almost completely ceased its bleeding. On the shelves of the bookcase was a tinderbox and a bucket of tar. Daniel remembered his earlier diaries concerning the Orb and how it was prepared. All he needed was the proper place and he would be ready.

"**Bucket o' tar...what've we got down here?**"

Beyond the other door was a stairway down and the sound of machinery running. There was a steam filled room with turning cogs and more strange machines.

"**What do we got down here?**"

At this point any machines Daniel found were working against him. A small hammer was on the ground and Daniel tried to jam the cogwheels with it but it was too small.

"**Ok, I need to jam the cogwheels with something. Um…let's try this shard of metal.**"

Daniel tried the sheet of metal but to no avail.

"**Not large enough still, uh? I'll find something big enough.**"

With so much steam it was hard to find anything. There was a broken cog on the ground but it was too big to work.

"**How 'bout another cogwheel? Nope, Daniel's too weak to lift it? Ok.**"

_Come out, come out whatever you are!_

Daniel tried back upstairs and saw the pile of rocks as a helpful inspiration.

"**How 'bout one of these rocks? Rock'll work.**"

_I'd name it but then I won't be able to use it; it'll be to special to me then._

"**Take that!**"

Daniel threw the rock and was hit by debris as it worked.

_LANI! You didn't warn me that would happen!_

"**OW!**"

The machine quit making its noises and the steam slowly cleared.

"**Ah, I broke the uh…auto playing piano…machine-thing…. No seriously, what did I break?**"

_I dunno._

Water was dripping from one point of the wall and Daniel went to see it.

"**Can I collect you? …ok, um…nothing, huh? …I did something by breaking you – injuring myself being one of them, but…um…**"

_I'm bored again, this place is boring._

Daniel left back up the stairs. Still in his drunken-high stupor, Daniel thought of Lani as a person. If Lani was here he would probably mess up everything. Lani was careless and would mess up Daniel's things.

"Get away, you shouldn't do that!"

"**Oh shut up.**"

Daniel stuck his tongue out like a child and went down the long bridge.

"**What did I do?**"

Fog formed for a moment as Daniel swayed and held to the stone railing. He reached the center.

"**Let's see…I'm gonna try and jump it.**"

_Sounds fun to me._

Daniel backed up and took a running jump cross the flesh.

"**Jump, Daniel!**"

He had landed on the flesh but it did not burst as he stumbled off onto the path.

"**Hey, it worked.**"

Daniel strode with pride at his victory but had to end his celebratory stroll. The bridge was broken and could take him nowhere.

"**Or maybe I already exploded the puss thing, never know.**"

Daniel would not take chances though, even in his state, and jumped to reach the path to his right.

"**Uh…jump the corner!**"

Nothing burst this time either and this should be the last time Daniel had to deal with that particular section of flesh. This was the only remaining path and it had to lead to the Inner Sanctum. This path was broken as well, but only slightly.

"**Hm, let's jump that, 'cause I don't trust that in the slightest.**"

Neither did Daniel. He backed up and jumped over the small section of missing bridge as Lani made another sound, his legs crying somewhere beyond the laudanum.

"**You see, this is the first time in the game I have ever trusted **_**Daniel's **_**jumping ability.**"

_I can jump very well, thank you! I can also run, skip, and various other things._

More flesh grew around the door at the bridge's end but only on one side of it. There was a small crack that showed the other room but the flesh guarded the spot before it so Daniel could not safely peek in. Sneaking was the best option so Daniel returned to his position close to the ground as he closed in on the door.

_I'm sneaky~._

He opened it from the safe side and could see candles burning inside. Seeing and hearing nothing, Daniel returned to his feet and entered. Across the way was a tunnel path where what looked like concentrated lightning struck freely within. Buzzing and crackling sounds came from it as Daniel approached.

"**Nothing, huh? Got nothing to say to me?**"

Daniel looked down the electric corridor and Lani laughed.

"**Yeah, uh, no thanks…**"

In agreement, Daniel moved to the left where a pedestal was standing amongst six shelves of candles.

"**Let's see…**"

The pedestal had a smooth, hemispherical depression at the top and was a perfect place to rebuild the Orb.

"**Ok…**"

Daniel took the purple piece and placed it in the depression. The Orb piece was now light blue with light gray around its edges. He took the light blue piece he had to try and match it as Lani sang.

"**Building sph- uh…what?**"

The piece would not stay and neither would the red one. The note about the tar must have been right.

"**Oh, maybe I should read next time. Durr hurr.**"

The phrase sounded funny to Daniel as he emptied the contents of the bucket into the depression, seeing the tar only cover the stone pedestal and not the Orb.

"**Blurk!**"

Lani was filled with funny sounds. Daniel took the green piece and put it with the other, watching them form together. There was now only a larger piece of light blue. Next he added the red piece, then the blue piece, then the black one. All of the pieces joined together as a single piece was missing at the top. Daniel took the dark pink piece and slid it into place, completing the Orb.

"**It's the crystal skull!**"

_Is it?_

The electric tunnel was making strange sounds and Daniel went to see. Blue light was gathering at the center, forming a beam.

"**Now what is this?**"

The light was very beautiful, Daniel wanted to touch it and he did. The light burned his hand for the second time and Daniel backed away in pain.

"**OWhowhow – whores!**"

The beam of light curved to meet thee Orb and soon there was a loud bang. The castle shook violently yet again and all of the candles had gone out. The final bits of the beam entered the Orb as the tunnel became hopefully harmless. Lani sighed.

"**You know what, I'm going to stop randomly touching things. That's it. That's all I can do…is not randomly touch shit…anymore.**"

The Shadow echoed its cry as Daniel went through the tunnel and into the Inner Sanctum.

"**M'kay.**"

The Shadow sounded around Daniel and began to cover everything around him in red. The stairwell lit by candles was no longer a comforting place.

"**Once again, the roar…always a welcome sign. Uh, what've I got left? Few cuts and bruises, I'll use a little bit of laudanum on you, Daniel.**"

Daniel drank another vile, leaving four for later. Laudanum made everything better and calmed his nerves as well as his pain. The castle was calm again.

"**Why not drug yourself up?**"

The castle went insane. The structure shook fiercely and it sounded as if something was soaring down from high above just to strike him. Daniel ran.

"**Ok…what's-**"

At the bottom of the stairs Daniel looked back. Above him Daniel saw the same red glow as from before coming for him. The laudanum was freshly in his system but its effects were promptly forced away by the Shadow's presence.

"**That thing!**"

Daniel ran straight ahead to the large wooden gate but the door would not open. The castle paused and then shook again and Daniel tried a smaller gate to the left. It would not open either.

_Please, open!_

Daniel ran across to the gate on the right. Still nothing would open. The castle shook again and all around Daniel was the red flesh. He was forced to hit one from the tremor and it burst onto him.

"**Ow! Bitches!**"

Daniel backed away in fear and pain, bursting another one.

"**OW!**"

The pain was too much. Every wound he had felt fresh and the Shadow was forcing its way in Daniel's mind and over his body. His vision slowly blackened as his weakness took hold of him, the acidic puss eating away at his clothes and flesh. He heard the bursting of the bubbles and Lani's final angry question.

"**Run? Yeah, run where?**"

Daniel had died.

"**I'd like to amend this statement and say this is the first time I've died, I have no idea what the fuck is going on anymore.**"

_Please, not in my afterlife too…._

There was a bright light and Lani screamed as he was hopefully being removed. Daniel's memories of what had happened were stricken from his mind, leaving only the strong sense of déjà vu as he stood at the bottom of the shaking stairs again.

"**And there's my punishment.**"

There was no time to think, everything was red and coming for Daniel.

"**Ok, let's run, Daniel.**"

Daniel saw a lever on one of the stone pillars and pulled it in hopes of freedom.

"**Oh, that was silly of me.**"

He saw the small gate to the left open and ran inside it, jumping over red flesh as it showed itself. One burst on him by surprise though.

"**Ow, ow! …whores!**"

He stumbled away into the large lit room. There was a desk with a candle and the usual clutter but no drawers and on top was a piece of paper. If the Shadow attacked by using Daniel's mind then distracting it could drive it away, right?

19th of August 1839

It's not fair! I'm not to blame.

"**Myeh-myeh-myeh!**"

I've been manipulated by that demon. He played my guilty conscience and duped me into facing the shadow alone.

"**That whore!**"

That vile, conspiring man.

"**That slut!**"

He expects me to meet my death as he steals power beyond imagination?

Alexander, I will kill you for what you have done.

"**Really?**"

If only the shadow had caught me in London or Algeria, I wouldn't have to suffer this humiliation. You made me a murderer, a monster!

"**Yes, he **_**made **_**you.**"

And now, I merely await my death. I'm too weak to press on. I can hardly stand as my knees fail me,

Lani feigned weeping sounds.

I cannot see, as my eyes are dressed in tears.

Lani continued again.

I'm as broken as the men I've tortured. If only I could wipe my fear away as we did with them.

Daniel felt cold. He had known of his actions and held the same reasoning, but now his mental shortcomings were accompanied by physical ones. Pressing on was difficult enough with only his guilt slowing him. If it were not for his fear and anger this mission would be impossible.

"**M'kay. Uh…is that thing-?**"

The castle shook to remind Daniel and Lani of the Shadow's presence.

"**Yes, it's still chasing me. Ok, um…what do I do?**"

In the room was an altar with a strange drawing on it. Daniel touched the black marking and felt part of his blood be taken from him.

"**Ow? Bastards!**"

Daniel was especially woozy now as he ran to check the second small gate. There was no flesh that he could see but he still felt the burning attack of one when he reached the open gateway.

"**Ow! Ok, no more of that…no more of that shit.**"

This room was nearly identical to the other and Daniel touched the second altar.

_I hope I'm right about this._

He felt his blood leave him again with tremendous pain.

"**Ow, again!**"

_What did you expect to happen?_

Nothing seemed to have happened and Daniel stumbled across the room to beneath what looked like a German cross as the lights left him. Stones and wood moved as everything basked in red. Daniel ran to check the large gate and was hurt yet again on the way out despite still seeing no flesh.

"**What did I say about randomly touching – SON OF A BITCH!**"

The large gate was still closed and Daniel had no idea what to do. He tried to lift it but it refused to open for him.

"**You gonna open now? No…course not-**"

Another invisible attack landed.

"**Ow, God damnit!**"

Lani huffed as Daniel still saw nothing of use. He was hit again.

"**Daniel what keeps hitting us?**"

Daniel assumed it was the Shadow now in his mind and body but Daniel had no proof. His wounds had reopened and bled freely. Daniel drank a vial of laudanum, leaving three. His mind was kept clear by the Shadow's presence but at least his pain lifted. He ran about to find something, anything, of use and was struck again.

"**Ow.**"

Daniel had entered the first room again and ran to its German cross.

"**What do you want me to do?**"

He knelt down, crying in fear.

_If there is any God, please help me!_

"**Kneel before Christ?**"

Daniel heard the sound of wood and clanking metal. It had to of worked. Relief was short though as the castle shook more than it ever had this entire adventure. The Shadow was angry. Daniel fell to the ground, his ears ringing and his vision red.

"**Pass out…again? …ok, this is like I just got hit with a grenade, only it was like just out of range….**"

Daniel made it to his feet. He was tired and dragging himself but he was up. He lit his lantern and now there was visible flesh.

"**Yep, there's that shit. Um…let's uh, let's jump over that…or – or do I have to touch this thing again?**"

Daniel went to touch the altar once more. No blood was taken as his hand only hovered but visions of his past life came to him, replacing his sanity with blood lust.

"Crush his skull! He deserves it~!"

"**Crush his skull, he deserves it. Gotcha…I'll touch it again, why not?**"

He touched the altar but nothing had been changed. Slowly blood lust was leaving for sanity, but hardly a difference was made.

"**Have you gone completely insane yet, Daniel? Head pounding, hands shaking, yes, ok…jump it!**"

Daniel ran and leapt over the red flesh, landing safely. He did not stop but continued running as Lani made fake sounds of disgust and whining fear.

"**Oh, ew…gross.**"

The main room's center was nothing but red flesh now but the large gat was open. Daniel jumped and landed on a safe spot before running with the Shadow chasing him like before.

"**Ok…let's keep moving on.**"

There were large double doors made of wood with decorative metal ornamenting it. Wherever it led was better than a room with the Shadow so Daniel was more than elated when the doors opened for him.

"**To the Orb Chamber.**"

Lani huffed as they entered what Daniel prayed was the final room of their journey. His injuries were all causing terrible pain and Daniel only wanted this to end. Large pillars held orbs atop them and they all sent beams of energy to a single point. The room was near indescribable. The Shadow made no sound or motions of attack.

"**I have seriously no idea – OH-kay, um…this is-**"

Daniel heard Alexander's voice clearly, but he could not see him.

"I was wondering if you were going to show up."

It sounded as if he was past the main point of where the beams gathered and the sight of his distant frame proved that with a quick side step.

"**Alexander you're here-! AH, you're naked!**"

He was naked, blue, and levitating over a large stone slab surrounded by blue flames. His nudity was the least of Daniel's concerns but obviously it was Lani's primary.

"I see Agrippa convinced you to run some errands. Tell me, is everything nice and clear now? Am I the villain?"

_You are the absolute villain. You are an evil and vile man._

"**Y-you could use some clothes.**"

"Good and evil. Such comforting concepts – but hardly applicable."

Daniel could hardly stand to look at Alexander. He wanted him dead but he could not reach him. So close had never felt so far. One of the pillars caught Daniel's eye, possibly because of the orb radiating energy atop it.

"**What are these things? No, I'm not randomly touching things anymore.**"

"Are you so blind that you see no good in me? Or evil in Agrippa?"

Daniel had reached the other side of Alexander's nest, still seeing no way to him.

"**Listen, they only thing I see is your WANG! Put some clothes on, man, Jesus!**"

He looked to the center of Alexander's mystic contraption.

"**I get it, you-**"

The room shook. Daniel did not know if the Shadow was returning or not, his only hope was that if it was it would attack Alexander.

"**What's that? That must be the portal thing – AH! God damnit…**"

Lani huffed a groan.

"**Ok…let's try, uh…portal thing…**"

Daniel was much too short to reach anything, and given his options of what to do if he could that might have been a blessing in disguise.

"**Portal thing…no? Um…this thing…?**"

Daniel touched the first pylon. It was unstable and on the verge of falling over, meaning Daniel could probably end this magical event by cutting the connection.

"**Pylon's unstable, on the verge of falling over…gah, Jesus Christ, um…**"

Daniel pushed the beam, trying not to draw too much attention to his actions from Alexander. He was not sure what Alexander could do but given how often he had entered his mind and how all but the Shadow was connected with him Daniel did not want him to have an immediate reason to hurt him. Being careful yielded no results from the pylon though. Lani gave plenty of false effort sounds though.

"**I tell ya', Daniel's too weak for this! Nng, PULL! …God damnit, Daniel. You are a pathetic, wreck of a man. How 'bout this thing?**"

Daniel searched his bag and he saw the hammer and chisel; they would draw too much attention. What really caught his attention was Agrippa's head. It was looking back at him, silently reminding him of the promise he made. If Daniel toppled the pillars he could not help Agrippa. He had to stop and wait.

"**Nope, ok, fine, whatever, uh…do I have to throw shit at them? It just sizzles when I touch it…unless that's Daniel's flesh sizzling. **_**Sizzle~!**_"

_That's the pillars inwardly disintegrating, Lani._

Lani continued his effort sounds even though Daniel was no longer pulling or pushing.

"**What's going on?**"

Above the room large stone were floating in rotation.

"**Woah, that's pretty cool actually. And seriously, man, put some clothes on!**"

Daniel kept his attention focused on the portal.

"**So do I just throw your head in there or what?**"

_The portal hasn't opened yet, it's too soon._

"**Portal has not opened yet, ok gotcha. Whatever, guess I gotta little bit of time to kill.**"

Daniel focused on Alexander again but Lani's responses made it clear he could not for long.

"**So, see any good sp- Jesus, I cannot take you seriously. And – ok, you look like Bettlejuice!**"

_What?_

"**It's like if-**"

"Do you see, Daniel?"

The portal was starting to open; there was an outline of blue lights as the energy focused further.

"**I do now…kay.**"

"A whole other world -"

"**Oh…ow!**"

Daniel had stupidly reached for the portal gate.

"-isn't it beautiful? I can finally return…home."

"**Ok, um…soon as it opens…when's it gonna open?**"

The gate began to open with a bright blue light spreading out from the center.

"But you…"

"**Op, there it is!**"

Daniel had only one chance to do this right. He took Agrippa's head and threw it into the gate as promised.

"**There you go.**"

The portal glowed brightly and Alexander sounded like he was in pain. The sound was pleasing to Daniel.

"No, you fool! You have ruined us!"

Lani sounded positively chipper.

"**You mad? He mad, he so mad! Oh!**"

The castle shook and Alexander curled into a ball of agony where he floated, screaming as he burned away into nothing and the Shadow's flesh consumed the room.

"**Hey, Alexander, next time buy some pants!**"

It had ended. Alexander was dead and Agrippa was safe. Daniel's fate was unknown though. The Shadow struck him.

"**Ow!**"

Daniel had no more drive. He welcomed the darkness that overtook him, knowing it to be his only salvation now.

"**Hehe, I got shot in the head, awesome! Finally getting what he deserves.**"

If anything drove Daniel on it was the motivation to get his revenge on Lani next. Daniel felt his pain leave him; his body was free and healed. His very spirit seemed to leave his body and a puff of fog and blue lights was all he saw. Daniel watched in amazed confusion.

"**Now what's going on?**"

The lights danced on and on.

"**Um…I'm still in control, so let's see here…**"

Daniel stepped forward and heard Agrippa's voice all around him.

"_There he is. Do you see him, Weyer? He deserves so much more._"

"**Me? Yes, I deserve a lot for finishing this.**"

"_Please help him, I know you can._"

Daniel knew he was dead. Agrippa and Weyer were merely watching his corpse as his soul stayed behind. Daniel had sacrificed himself and Alexander to save Agrippa.

"**Daniel deserves nothing, ok?**"

_I deserve the opportunity to punish you!_

Weyer was probably speaking with Agrippa, but Agrippa was the only voice other than Lani that Daniel could hear. It seemed Weyer had agreed to help him.

"_Don't worry, Daniel. It will be all right._"

"**Is that so?**"

There was a final bright flash as Daniel's soul was taken away from this place of ruin and suffering. Lani screamed in what was obviously false pain.

"**I'm kidding, I'm used to it by now.**"

A/N: And that is the end to all actual game-play! This is also the chapter where I reach a six-figure word count. So, woo! All that remains is Lani's end skit and my made up explanations for how stuff happens. Read on for the bonus or leave, whichever you prefer.


	13. Finale Bonus

A/N: After receiving an anonymous review I feel it necessary to give a short note on Prussia. Amnesia takes place in 1839, during that time Prussia was not one with Germany. Both countries were and are Germanic and Prussia did become one with Germany shortly AFTER the events of amnesia. At the time of this game Germany and Prussia were two separate things tied together by history and relations, not borders. Amnesia is set in the Prussian Kingdom which was facing many problems as was somewhat shone by Alexander's memories where he spoke of his end. Long story short: while both Germanic, Prussia was not Germany. If there are any Hetalia fans reading this could explain why the two lands are personified as brothers rather than just Germany; Prussia had a big enough history to warrant his own character.

Daniel had entered a realm he knew nothing of. He saw nothing and assumed either his loss of sight was temporary like usual or these events had actually left him blind. Eventually Daniel could see two men, neither of which he recognized. It was not until the one on the left spoke that Daniel knew it was Agrippa who had been restored to his former self.

"Daniel, are you all right now?"

"I…I feel much better."

"I knew you would. Weyer is very talented in regards to tonics and the human body."

The other man smiled and nodded at Daniel.

"It is a pleasure to meet my mentor's savior, I'm Johann Weyer."

"I'm Daniel of Mayfair. Where is this?"

Agrippa answered, not sure how happy Daniel would be to hear the answer.

"We are in a separate space of time, a bubble of 1535, the year I should have died."

"A separate time?"

Weyer explained in layman's terms.

"Rather than returning to 1535 we are in a space, in this instant Agrippa's home, as it was left in the year 1535. The three of us will be the only one's here unless we can bring another by guiding them here with the proper magic and science."

"Guide them?"

"Yes, we are free to enter the minds of one person at a time and may even alter parts of their world if we understand what we are using. If they die we may resurrect them here or simply let them pass into nothing."

"…."

Daniel had an idea.

"**The end, odn314.**"

Lani was looking at his computer screen after having finished his game. Daniel had discovered that to Lani, his life really had been a game. He had been in control of everything or at the very least thought he did. Lani had let even Daniel die once. Now he was simply sitting at his desk, removing his headphones and turning on his lights. He spoke to something called a camera that captured moving images rather than still ones. Daniel found the technology impressive but not enough that he would allow Lani's actions to go unpunished.

"**All right, I guess that's it for Amnesia. You know, it wasn't bad overall though I have to say, I think Daniel is by FAR the worst protagonist I have ever played as in a game.**"

Daniel grinned, now able to contort Lani's world. He took away the lights, prompting Lani to look about in confusion. Once Lani explored he would find much more than he could ever expect. Daniel controlled everything with Agrippa and Weyer, he even had the Shadow at his command.

"**Wha-? Where the hell did my lights go?**"

"Oh if only it were that easy."

Daniel's voice changed after traveling to Lani's time and dimension, but his new abilities and his old point remained the same.

"**Pardon?**"

"Do you think you can feed me to the Shadow and just leave so easily?"

"…**Daniel?**"

"The Shadow will hunt you forever you know. It will not stop."

"**Yeah, whatever you say, buddy. I'm just gonna, you know, head to bed. Getting kinda late.**"

Lani was not afraid. He was an insolent fool but he would be trembling soon enough. Lani walked through his house, a bit of an undecorated mess in Daniel's opinion, and reached the first door. Just beyond it a Grunt monster lurked and the flame Lani had used to burn Daniel's hand burnt with its stand. The monster was in a particularly nasty mood and coming for Lani. Lani shut the door just as it had gotten near.

"**Oh for fuck's sake!**"

Lani sounded for annoyed than afraid. Daniel would have to fix that.

"Yes, cower in fear of the dark horrors from beyond, Lani. Not so fun when the shoe is on the other foot is it?"

"**Uh, yeah, listen, is this gonna be a permanent thing or-?**"

Lani jerked his attention to the door as the monster gave it a strong hit. Daniel practically sang with joy.

"Uh-oh, what are you going to do? It's coming for you, Lani, and you have nowhere to hide. Soon you shall join me in the dark beyond."

The monster continued to smash the door as Lani waited with arms crossed, thoroughly unimpressed by how long it was taking.

…_._

"Well…it doesn't normally take this long. It should have already burst down the door and started chewing your viscera by now."

The Grunt continued to smash the door with no effect.

"**Yeah, Daniel, that might be because I am in a modern **_**house**_**, not a 500-year-ol German castle held together by Styrofoam!**"

…_it was Prussian._

"Well it matters not. There is no way you can face what lies beyond that door. So as soon as it gets in here: you will _die_."

It would take time, but the payoff would be well worth it.

"**You know, Daniel, this would all be **_**really **_**threatening if, like you, I had the strength and fortitude of a 6-year-old girl.**"

Even under threat of death Lani was an arse.

"**However, I am not like you. Also, I've got a gun!**"

Lani took out a double-barreled shotgun Daniel had somehow overlooked and shot it at the door twice, killing the Grunt which moaned in pain before hitting the ground with a loud thud.

"…well, I'm at a bit of a loss for words."

Agrippa joined in with a suggestion. Lani looked about surprised at there being two voices.

"Why don't you tell him about the creeping, psychological horror, Daniel?"

"Ah, yes! Th-"

"**GET OUT OF MY HEAD!**"

Daniel would never leave so long as Lani was alive. Forevermore Lani would haunted by Daniel with the help of Agrippa and Weyer.

A/N: And this is the complete end. Thank you everyone for reading and for those who left reviews. I would seriously forget about this for weeks and only remember to write after receiving a review, aren't I brilliant? I hope you enjoyed, especially seeing as you read this much. Next I'm doing Lani's Let's Play of Justine. I will do Mangaminx because there's a whole new dynamic with a female player as Daniel's a 19th century gentleman. I will not do her Let's Play of Justine though because she never finished it and I won't write for any unfinished Let's Plays. I'm watching through Cry's play and may do his if he's different enough that it's worth it and plays in a way that I can justify as reality. I still can't believe I finished this thing. I can never watch this Let's Play again because of this.


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